A competition aimed at secondary schools and colleges in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent has been launched to help increase awareness of cyber crime.
Cyber crime is a growing area of concern across the country with people becoming victims and losing money. But the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire and Staffordshire Police are taking action and have launched the Cyber Safe Staffordshire schools competition.
Schools and colleges simply need to submit a poster, infographic or online game, created by young people, highlighting how to stay safe from cyber criminals when people are online. Schools have been sent information with details on how to enter the competition.
Cyber crime is a crime such as fraud, bullying, theft or grooming that is committed online using a device that can access the web, such as smartphones, tablets, computers or other devices. Cyber crime also includes crimes against your computer or device such as contaminating or corrupting it with viruses or taking-over your social media profile, email account or your website.
The schools competition is part of the Cyber Safe Staffordshire campaign, which is part of the agenda set out by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire Matthew Ellis to raise awareness and highlight information to help protect people from criminals online.
The competition runs until October 21, 2016, and winning entries will be chosen and featured as part of the new Cyber Safe Staffordshire campaign. The winning entries will also receive a Cyber Safe Staffordshire certificate for the school or college and the winners will each receive a £25 Intu Shopping Centre Voucher.
Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Arnold said: “The internet and its development brings opportunity but has also brought new, changing threats from crime and criminals.
“The Crime Survey for England and Wales in July this year estimated that around 5.8 million fraud and computer misuse offences took place. This is the reason we are asking young people to help highlight the risks people now face online and the Cyber Safe Staffordshire competition is the perfect opportunity to do this.
“Young people sometimes do not understand that trolling, bullying and harassment online is classed as a crime. Remember, what is illegal offline is illegal online”
The competition is part of the Cyber Safe Staffordshire campaign which aims to raise awareness about cyber crime and how people and businesses can protect themselves and their families online. The campaign was launched by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire Matthew Ellis and the Chief Constable of Staffordshire Police Jane Sawyers.
You can request further information for your school or college by emailing cybersafestaffs@staffordshire.pcc.pnn.gov.uk .
You can find out more information about cyber crime at: www.staffordshire.police.uk/cybercrime
