RGPF establishes units to fight digital crimes

by Linda Straker

• RGPF made significant investment in technology
• Digital Forensic Unit and Drones Unit to help investigate cyber and other technology-related crimes
• Regional situational assessment revealed cyber threats are growing faster than public understanding

The Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) has established 2 units as part of its strategy to effectively investigate cyber and other technology-type crimes. These crimes include illegal activities using computers or digital devices to commit offences like fraud, data theft, harassment, and impacting individuals, businesses, and governments.

Speaking about the units during an end-of-year news conference last Wednesday, Commissioner of Police Randy Connaught disclosed that the force made a significant investment into technology, which has contributed to establishing a Digital Forensic Unit and a Drones Unit.

“Our Drone Unit, which stood with just a mere one drone couple of years ago, now we have a full fleet of drones with qualified drone pilots, and we are actually in training mode where an additional set of pilots are being trained. This is progress here, and progress will continue,” he said, but did not detail the specific work of the Digital Forensic Unit.

In August 2024, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell announced in Parliament that Grenada, through the Ministry of National Security, was to develop rules and policies pertaining to the use of drones, and these guidelines will focus on identifying no-fly zones as well as applying drone technology to assist with improving healthcare.

“Drone technologies are revolutionising the world,” Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell and Minister of National Security told the Lower House of Parliament on 27 August. However, no rules or policies have been gazetted, and no law is being approved in the Parliament.

Vannie Curwen, Assistant Commissioner of Police, who is the Head of Crimes, in his presentation, said that crimes are more digitally committed as compared to years gone by, and the RGPF has been able to match the digitalisation of what is happening not only in Grenada but in the world. “We have been able to build out a Digital Forensic Unit giving us the capacity to go far, deep and wide into everything, every electronic gadget that is used to commit a crime, we will find you, and if you delete it, we will be able to find it again,” he warned.

A regional situational assessment conducted under the Caribbean Digital Transformation Project (CARDTP), which was made public in August 2025, revealed that cyber threats are growing faster than public understanding, and in Grenada, the findings were especially telling. CARDTP is a World Bank-funded initiative designed to enhance public service delivery, expand digital access, and modernise ICT.

The assessment said that focus groups were held with youth, parents, educators, and seniors in Grenada. And it was realised that many participants had experienced or witnessed cyber incidents, from online scams to impersonation and cyberbullying. Despite this, fewer than half could confidently define terms such as “phishing,” “two-factor authentication,” or “cybercrime.”

“Several participants believed cybercrime only affected large institutions or tech-savvy users, not everyday citizens.” The assessment pointed out that reporting rates are low, and participants shared that they often didn’t know where or how to report incidents, even when real harm occurred.

“Some feared embarrassment or didn’t trust that action would be taken.” The assessment recommended: accessible, practical public education; greater visibility of trusted institutions like CSIRT Grenada; support for teachers, parents, seniors, and small businesses; and More places to ask questions, report problems, and get help.