EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 As artificial intelligence and deepfakes become more common, El Paso County officials are moving to strengthen how they prevent and respond to cybercrimes, with a new federally funded initiative aimed at improving investigations and expanding support for victims.<\/p>\n
The El Paso County Criminal Justice Department has been awarded a federal grant to help combat cybercrimes and expand victim services as technology-related offenses continue to rise. <\/p>\n
County Criminal Justice Director Catherine Jones said the county pursued the funding after seeing a growing problem in the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe applied for this grant because we noticed a problem within our community and that oftentimes women become the victims of cyber-enabled criminal activity that oftentimes has to do with family or domestic violence harassment stalking,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n
Jones said the program will target cybercrimes, including AI, deepfakes, online harassment, phone scams, stalking and the sharing of nonconsensual images.<\/p>\n
Emily Schmalz reports on El Paso County moves to strengthen cybercrime investigations and victim services (Credit: KFOX14)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
RECOMMENDED: <\/a>El Paso County awarded $700,000 federal grant to fight cybercrimes<\/a><\/p>\n She said the county found many of these offenses were being misclassified, and the program will add a peace officer to specifically monitor bond conditions for people accused of cyber-related crimes.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s at its core this initiative is going to be able to provide safety and support to the victims of cyber-enabled crime and we\u2019re going to be able to provide accountability for those individuals who are using their phones in a means that is harming other people and then is there there\u2019s already laws,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n The program is funded through a $750,000 federal grant awarded by the Department of Justice\u2019s Office on Violence Against Women. <\/p>\n Jones said the three-year grant will help local law enforcement prevent, investigate and prosecute cybercrimes through specialized training, digital evidence support and expanded victim advocacy.<\/p>\n RECOMMENDED: First ‘Take It Down Act’ conviction marks win for Melania Trump-backed law<\/a><\/p>\n Jones said the county also plans to create a coordinated response team that will include a cybercrimes officer, the Center Against Sexual and Family Violence, the district attorney\u2019s office, the sheriff\u2019s office and other law enforcement partners.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will also be creating a coordinated response team that will consist of our cyber crimes officer, CASFV, the DA\u2019s office and the sheriff\u2019s office and any other law enforcement partners we work with,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n Jones said the program will include training through the Center Against Sexual and Family Violence to help law enforcement better support victims of cybercrimes. <\/p>\n She said the sheriff\u2019s office will lead community trainings to help people recognize when they may be targets of a cybercrime.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will be doing several training components one of them will be provided through CASFV and they will be training all of us to recognize the impact that this has on victims we are also doing a training for the community,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n RECOMMENDED: <\/a>Cybersecurity new data breach study 2026; how to protect your identity?<\/a><\/p>\n Some El Pasoans said they see the effort as an important step as technology evolves. <\/p>\n \u201cI feel like with AI and everything going on it\u2019s a really really big problem,\u201d one resident said. <\/p>\n Another said, \u201cCyber crimes I would say they\u2019re getting more common especially with us moving more into artificial intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\n Jones said the first-year implementation plan has already been created but still needs county approval. <\/p>\n She said she expects full implementation of the program within the next three months.<\/p>\n