On January 3, 2025, Kingston police identified a network issue, which an investigation has since revealed to be a cyber incident.
The incident has affected some of its IT systems, particularly the non-emergency functions, which may be experiencing delays. Kingston police have continued to respond to emergency calls for service.
Following identification of the cyber incident, Kingston police immediately implemented mitigation strategies, including shutting down access, to protect the public, staff, data, and organization.
In addition, they operationalized a team which includes third-party cyber security experts to support the investigation and ongoing response.
The top priority is to serve and protect the public.
They are following a response plan to manage the incident as quickly and effectively as possible.
They are also diligently working to ensure that the day-to-day operational activities have alternate processes where necessary and continue to function.
They have notified the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) of the cyber incident and will follow their guidance in assessing the nature of the incident and notifying affected members of the public as needed.
They have contacted the Ontario Provincial Police Cybercrime Investigations Team (CIT) who immediately deployed to assist them, alongside other partnering agencies.
They are working closely with government and enforcement partners to investigate the incident and to restore services.
They have also notified the Kingston Police Service Board, the mayor and the City of Kingston who are working to support them in every way they can.
They are committed to transparency and will share information as soon as it is safe and secure to do so and apologize for any delays as they continue to conduct a thorough investigation and ask for patience in this regard.
The safety and security of the citizens of Kingston remain their number one priority.
