The Guidance Council oversees the work of the Cyber Resilience Centre and is made up of representatives from across policing, the private and public sectors and academia.
Visiting the offices in Manchester, Andrew spent the morning meeting the Board and talking to staff and students working at the Centre to tackle business cyber crime, particularly small and medium sized enterprises.
He set out how his role will ensure the work of the Centre increasingly reaches across Lancashire and the wider North West region, building on the work already done since it was established in 2019 to ensure organisations have the tools and knowledge to spot suspicious behaviour, avoid scams and protect their systems in an increasingly online business environment.
Andrew Snowden, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire said:
“I’m delighted to take on this important role, supporting the Cyber Resilience Centre as it leads the efforts in helping businesses across the North West become more resilient to cyber attacks and stop online criminals in their tracks.
“By working with the NWCRC to support organisations in Lancashire as well as other areas in the region, we can make life much harder for offenders, prevent new victims, and stay one step ahead of criminals in what is a fast paced, ever changing landscape.
“This role underpins my Fighting Crime Plan priority to disrupt and dismantle organised crime, as we take the fight to the organised crime gangs that increasingly use digital space as an opportunity to profit from the misery of others. We won’t stand for that here in Lancashire or anywhere in the North West, a key message I will continue to send both as Commissioner and through the NWCRC.”
ACC Jo Edwards, Director at the North West Cyber Resilience Centre said:
“I’m delighted on behalf of the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit and NW Cyber Resilience Centre to welcome the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire Andrew Snowden to our digital hub here in Manchester. Andrew has recently taken on the role of the chair of our guidance council and will provide invaluable support to the network.
“We look forward to building on the great foundations we have already established with Greater Manchester businesses by launching the NWCRC in Lancashire and the wider North West region.
“I know that by having Andrew as the new chair of the guidance Council he will continue the fantastic work of Baroness Bev Hughes in supporting the NWCRC to move forward and continue to protect our local business from online crime.”
For more information on the work of the North West Cyber Resilience Forum, visit https://www.nwcrc.co.uk/