SINGAPORE – The INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) building has been officially handed over to the head of the world police body by Singaporean authorities.
In a ceremony at the IGCI, on behalf of the government of Singapore Second Minister S. Iswaran officially presented the building to INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble.
“The decision to establish the IGCI is testament to INTERPOL’s leadership, and its recognition of the fact that the nature of crime is changing rapidly. Fuelled by globalisation and technological advancements, crime has become transnational if not global, more complex and sophisticated, and pervasive in its impact,” said Mr Iswaran.
The state-of-the-art IGCI will equip the world’s police with the tools and knowledge to better tackle the crime threats of the 21st century, with a cutting-edge research and development facility for the identification of crimes and criminals, innovative training, operational support and partnerships.
“In the history of international law enforcement, this day marks a milestone. It resonates with the collective dedication of global police cooperation in making ours a safer world,” said Secretary General Noble.
“Police are traditionally trained to protect innocent civilians from harm; harm which is visible, or simply physical in nature. The widening intersection of our real and virtual lives challenges that very tradition, and with the IGCI, INTERPOL now has a dedicated centre to tackle cybercrime so we can better protect citizens both on and offline,” added the INTERPOL Chief.
“The creation of the IGCI would not have been possible without the overwhelming support of the Singaporean authorities, and it is with immense pride, joy and responsibility that I accept the keys to this building on behalf of all our 190 member countries,” concluded Mr Noble.
As part of the digital security pillar, a forensic laboratory will be established within the IGCI, which will also assist in the development of practical solutions in collaboration with police, research laboratories, academia and the public and private sectors.
The Cyber Fusion Centre (CFC) will bring together experts from law enforcement, industry and academia to actively identify and develop intelligence about emerging threats and criminal cyber entities. Effectively INTERPOL’s nerve centre for cyber threat intelligence and coordination of operations, the CFC will facilitate police-to-police information sharing and securely deliver actionable intelligence on identified threats within cyberspace.
A Command and Coordination Centre operations room will reinforce those already in place at INTERPOL's General Secretariat headquarters in Lyon and its Regional Bureau in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Conforming to the highest environmental standards, the IGCI building has received the Green Mark Platinum Award.