Cyber incident affecting non-emergency functions of Kingston police

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) cybercrime unit is investigating an incident impacting the Kingston Police.

According to the department on Jan. 3, officials in Kingston noticed a network issue, and an investigation into the problem revealed to be a cyber incident. Some information technology systems including the non-emergency functions, are experiencing delays.

According to a press release on Jan. 6, OPP said the ability for Kingston police to respond to emergency situations has not been impacted.

“Following identification of the cyber incident, Kingston Police immediately implemented mitigation strategies, including shutting down access, to protect the public, our staff, data, and organization,” a press release from officials noted.

The force also initiated third-party cyber experts, who are working with OPP to understand the impacts.

“Our top priority is to serve and protect the public. We are following a response plan to manage the incident as quickly and effectively as possible,” Kingston police said.

The Information and Privacy Commissioner has been notified of the incident with the force saying it will follow the guidance given to mitigate issues and keep the public informed.

“We apologize for any delays as we continue to conduct a thorough investigation and ask for your patience in this regard,” the release reads.

Anyone with information in relation to this investigation is encouraged to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or ontariocrimestoppers.ca.