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In a time when murder investigations are as likely to involve a search of a cellphone as a crime scene, and IP addresses can leave a better trail than tire tracks, the separation of investigation into cybercrime and crime is getting thinner.

In Edmonton, police are fighting to keep pace with the change.

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“The thing that hasn’t changed is humans,” Sgt. Phil Palamattam, of the Edmonton Police Service Tech Crimes Unit, said last month.

EPS was an early adopter in the field of “tech crime.” In 1994, the force was the first in Canada to form a dedicated tech crime unit in response to the advent of Internet fraud.

More than two decades later, the unit now has three main focuses: forensic video analysis, digital forensics, and cybercrime. Last year, police launched a specialized cybercrime detail that focuses on online activity.

The detail is led by acting Sgt. Jim Gainor and supports investigation into major crimes like homicide and sexual assault. It also probes cyber-specific crimes, like online fraud, extortion and ransomware — a type of bug that blocks access to affected networks and computers until a ransom is paid.