Romania

Romanian Police Force

The Romanian Police is the national police force and main civil law enforcement agency in Romania. It is part of the Ministry of Administration.

The Romanian Police is responsible for:

• Protection of fundamental rights and freedom;
• Protection of private and public property;
• Prevention and identification of criminal offences and their perpetrators;
• Maintaining public order.

The Romanian Police Headquarters – known as the “General Inspectorate” – coordinates police action across the country.  It investigates major cases related to serious, organized and financial crime.  The General Inspectorate is under the command of an Inspector General appointed by the Minister of Administration and Interior.

The principal units of the General Inspectorate include:

• Criminal Investigations Directorate;
• Firearms, Explosives and Toxic Substances Directorate;
• Fraud Investigations Directorate;
• Independent Service of Special Interventions and Operations;
• Institute of Forensics;
• International Police Cooperation Centre;
• Organized Crime Directorate;
• Public Order Directorate.

INTERPOL Bucharest

Under the direct command of the Inspector General, the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) for Romania is part of the International Police Cooperation Centre.

Staffed by 36 police officers, INTERPOL Bucharest is made up of two units:

• International Wanted Persons and Extradition:
  • International search for wanted persons;
  • Extraditions;
  • Arrest warrants;
  • Transfer of convicted persons.
• Identification and Documentation:
  • Organized crime;
  • Serious criminal offences;
  • Rogatory letters;
  • Identification of persons;
  • Identity and travel documents;
  • Identification of unidentified bodies.

As part of a strategy to boost national security and prevent criminal activity in Romania, INTERPOL Bucharest recently integrated INTERPOL's databases into the Romanian police network. This means that police across the country have instant and automated access to INTERPOL’s information on wanted people, stolen passports and stolen vehicles. With this new capacity, almost 60,000 law enforcement officials across the country can quickly determine if a person is a potential threat.

Additionally, in 2010, INTERPOL Bucharest arranged for the Romanian Special Bureau for Combating Organized Crime to be connected to INTERPOL’s International Child Sexual Exploitation Image Database.

INTERPOL Bucharest works with all member countries on investigations requiring input from Romanian law enforcement authorities, and responds to NCB requests for assistance and information.

The NCB is operational 24 hours a day.  A permanent decision-making process is in place, enabling staff to initiate and carry out enquiries and investigations.