DUBLIN, Ireland – With Europe increasingly the target of ISIL (Daesh) inspired terrorist attacks, the region’s growing use of INTERPOL’s global databases plays a key role in enhancing security and safety.
Delegates at the 46th INTERPOL European Regional Conference heard that since 2014 the region’s use of the Organization’s nominal and Stolen and Lost Travel Documents data had increased by more than 200 per cent – with a 600 per cent growth in the Schengen zone alone.
Information sharing within and beyond the European region via INTERPOL has resulted in an increased number of identifications and arrests. Earlier this month a man wanted for a kidnapping and murder in Hungary more than 20 years ago was arrested in Slovakia thanks to a fingerprint match via INTERPOL.
Ireland’s Minister for Justice and Equality, Charles Flanagan, said: “The work of INTERPOL over the past almost 100 years epitomizes the value of police services across the world working together.
“Thanks to the excellent cooperation fostered by INTERPOL, police officers here in Ireland and across the world are provided with invaluable support in their efforts to protect citizens from terrorism and crime in all its many forms.
“The global network of INTERPOL National Bureaus that operate around the clock handling enquiries plays a vital role in this and I’d like to pay tribute to the Irish INTERPOL National Central Bureau based in Garda Headquarters for its contribution to this network, and also to the members of An Garda Síochána who have served in INTERPOL’s General Secretariat Headquarters in Lyon over the years,” concluded the Minister.
INTERPOL President Meng Hongwei recognized the significant contributions made by European countries towards global security.
“Police in Europe are an indispensable ‘generator’ for the past, current and future successes of INTERPOL.
“The region also has an important role to play not only in providing strategic foresight, but also in offering assistance to developing countries to help balance policing capabilities around the globe,” said President Meng.
Dónall O’Cualain, Acting Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, said: “Today’s event is an example of the mutual trust between An Garda Síochána and INTERPOL, and both organizations will continue to work together to serve and protect people all around the world.
“With your assistance, we are achieving the mission statement of INTERPOL – connecting police for a safer world. The volumes of information flowing through INTERPOL channels at Garda headquarters is testament to this, and the automation of some of this information exchange will further enhance international security.”
INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock said law enforcement needs to adapt and evolve in line with global advances, particularly in relation to data protection and information sharing.
“Data needed by national police increasingly resides outside of law enforcement. It is in open sources, in battlefields and owned by private industry.
“To ensure officers have access to the information they need to successfully investigate cases requires data quality, reliability and security. INTERPOL is ideally and uniquely placed to meet these needs,” said the Secretary General.
More than 130 senior police officials from 52 countries are attending the three-day (16 - 18 May) conference which will address a range of crime issues including drug trafficking, online child sexual abuse, organized crime and cybercrime.
