POLICE in Hampshire are set to team up with three other forces from across the South to improve cyber safety for the area's companies. 

Last week, The Cyber Resilient Centre for the South East announced the new partnership which will see Hampshire police work with Sussex, Surrey and Thames Valley. 

Aimed at improving the cyber resilience of companies that supply goods and services to each force, the initiative is thought to be a "huge step" to protect businesses that otherwise may not have been safe online. 

The partnership means that all companies seeking to embark on new contracts with the police will be required to join the SECRC.  

There are just shy of 850,000 businesses registered in the region, the second highest in the country, with many of these having next to no protection from cyber-attacks according to the partnership.

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Detective Superintendent Andy Richardson, Director of The Cyber Resilience Centre for the South East said: “This new partnership between the SECRC and the region’s four police forces is a huge step in helping to develop the cyber resilience of a large number of businesses that may not have access or funds to cover cyber security.

"This project has been a key priority of mine as the Director of the SECRC as we should be leading by example and encouraging suppliers and service providers to become more secure so that each force can be confident that their data and information is being handled appropriately.

"Whether you are a roofing contractor on a police station or a software company developing new forensic technologies, there is a cyber threat facing you and we want to help you reduce that risk.”

The Cyber Resilience Centre for the South East was established by the Home Office to provide free simple-to-follow cyber guidance, tools and threat assessments and affordable cyber services to businesses, charities, and public sector organisations. 

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