Training for Dedicated School Violence Investigators
Struggling with New Slang and Social Media "Grammar"
Passing On "Digital Investigation Know-how"
On February 24, the Gumi Police Station in North Gyeongsang Province held a training session titled "Use of Smart Devices for Investigating School Violence Cases and Understanding Youth Culture" in Room 401 of the Happiness Support Building (Yeonhwagwan) at the North Gyeongsang Provincial Office of Education. The session was provided for about 150 dedicated school violence investigators affiliated with provincial offices of education and 22 regional staff in charge of related work.
This training was prepared to help dedicated school violence investigators overcome the limitations that arise when investigations become inadequate because they do not understand the unique online culture of students, who are a "digital native" generation. In practice, many investigators have had difficulties in the field, such as failing to grasp the meaning of new slang used by children or missing the essence of a case because they do not understand the complex operating mechanisms of social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.
Training on "Using Smart Devices for Investigating School Violence Cases and Understanding Youth Culture" / Provided by Gumi Police Station
In response, Inspector Hwang Euipil, a veteran School Police Officer (SPO) at Gumi Police Station, served as a one-day instructor and shared his extensive field experience and expertise. He emphasized that, for children, the online space is not merely virtual but a "real world" that has a more tangible and powerful impact than offline life, and he stressed that it is impossible to conduct accurate case investigations without understanding the grammar of the digital world.
In particular, the training covered a practice-oriented curriculum that included: the communication mechanisms of Instagram and Facebook; youth-only slang and online community culture; and new types of crimes that exploit the latest deepfake technologies.
The session also passed on know-how on using smart devices to accurately identify the context of each case, and it served as a "digital guide" to help investigators communicate smoothly with students and conduct fair investigations.
One dedicated investigator who participated in the training said, "There were many times when I felt at a loss during investigations because I could not grasp the context even when I read the children's conversations, but through the SPO's vivid lecture, I came to understand the culture of the digital generation in depth," adding, "I think this training will be a major turning point in enhancing the professionalism of case investigations."
The chief of Gumi Police Station said, "I find it very meaningful that we have created an opportunity to communicate and cooperate closely with related agencies in line with the rapidly changing digital environment," and added, "We will continue to engage with the education field and provide multifaceted support to create a safe environment."
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