INTERPOL's core functions and services
Warming-up.
Go round the classroom and make a list of facts you and your group mates know about the functions and services of Interpol.
Read the following text and complete your list with more facts referring to Interpol’s functions and services.
Make sure you understand the meaning of the following words and word-combinations:
to assist frontline officers
a global police communications system
a secure environment
a wide range of databases
to disseminate
deployment
a directory of experts
a depository of research papers
INTERPOL's core functions and services
INTERPOL works closely with all member countries and international organizations such as the UN and EU to combat transnational crime. This article outlines the services available from INTERPOL to assist frontline officers in crime investigations. In this aspect, INTERPOL performs the following four core functions:
INTERPOL has developed a global police communications system, known as I-24/7, which enables any member country to request for, and submit and access, vital data instantly in a secure environment. Liaison Bureau (LB) is connected to this system and frontline officers can obtain INTERPOL services via LB.
Through I-24/7, member countries, including the Force, have direct and immediate access to a wide range of databases, including Nominal Data; Stolen and Lost Travel Documents; Stolen Motor Vehicles; Stolen Works of Art; DNA Profiles; Fingerprints, and Counterfeit Payment Cards.
For instance, in 2008, Organised Crime and Triad Bureau utilised the Stolen Motor Vehicles Database during an operation and identified three recovered vehicles as the ones reported stolen by the National Police Agency of Japan.
INTERPOL also disseminates critical crime-related data through a system of international notices. Based on the requests from member countries, the INTERPOL General Secretariat (IPSG) produces notices in all of the organisation's four official languages: Arabic, English, French and Spanish.
The seven types of notices and their objectives are:
Red Notice. To seek the arrest or provisional arrest of wanted persons, with a view to extradition.
Yellow Notice. To help locate missing persons, often minors, or to help identify persons who are unable to identify themselves.
Blue Notice. To collect additional information about a person's identity or activities in relation to a crime.
Black Notice. To seek information on unidentified bodies.
Green Notice. To provide warnings and criminal intelligence about persons who have committed criminal offences and are likely to repeat these crimes in other countries.
Orange Notice. To warn police, public entities and other international organisations about potential threats from disguised weapons, parcel bombs and other dangerous materials.
INTERPOL-United Nations Special Notice. Issued for groups and individuals who are the targets of UN sanctions against Al Qaeda and the Taliban.
Based at IPSG, the Command and Co-ordination Centre operates around the clock. It links IPSG, National Central Bureaux and regional offices, and serves as the first point of contact for any member country faced with a crisis situation. This may include deployment of Incident Response Teams or Disaster Victim Identification Teams to the sites of terrorist attacks or natural disasters, or INTERPOL Major Event Support Teams (IMEST) to assist the host countries of sporting events or world summits with security efforts. For example, INTERPOL sent their IMEST to render assistance to the Force during Hong Kong's hosting of the WTO MC6 Conference in 2005.
INTERPOL Global Learning Centre is a Learning Management System composed of a directory of experts, e-learning packages and a depository of research papers and best practices. Together with regular training programmes, the organization ultimately aims at enhancing member countries' capacity in combatting transnational crime and terrorism.
Questions to discuss.
- What is Interpol’s global police communications system?
- What are seven types of Interpol’s notices and their objectives?
- What is INTERPOL-United Nations Special Notice?
- What is Interpol’s Learning Management System?