Interpol
Interpol, formally known as the International Criminal Police Organization, is the world's largest international police organization, established in 1923. With a membership of 195 nations as of 2023, Interpol's primary mission is to enhance cooperation among law enforcement agencies to combat international crime, which increasingly spans borders. This includes serious issues like drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms dealing, money laundering, and terrorism.
The organization facilitates communication through a global network, allowing member countries to share crucial crime-related information via various databases and international notices, which include details on missing persons and wanted individuals. Each member nation operates a National Central Bureau (NCB) that serves as a central point for information exchange with foreign agencies.
Interpol's governance is structured around its General Assembly, where member countries participate in decision-making, and an Executive Committee oversees operations. Notably, since the events of September 11, 2001, Interpol has adapted its strategies to better address terrorism-related crimes while maintaining a focus on the criminal aspects rather than political or religious dimensions.
Interpol
IDENTIFICATION: More formally known as the International Criminal Police Organization, the largest international police organization in the world
SIGNIFICANCE: The increasing internationalization of crime—particularly in the areas of drug trafficking, arms dealing, money laundering, human trafficking, high-tech crime, and terrorist activities—has heightened the importance of cooperation among police and law-enforcement officers around the world.
The International Criminal Police Organization, or Interpol, was founded in 1923 to facilitate cross-border police cooperation and in 2023 had a membership of 195 nations. Differences in cultures, languages, and legal systems can cause difficulties in cooperation among police of different nations. Interpol’s mission is to help police and law-enforcement officers from around the world cooperate with one another to prevent and solve international crimes. Interpol addresses only international crimes involving two or more member countries, and thus much of its work is focused on crimes such as drug trafficking, arms dealing, money laundering, counterfeiting, human trafficking, information technology crimes, and—strongly emphasized—terrorism. Interpol does not engage in casework that is political, military, or religious in character.
Interpol Services and Organization
Interpol provides three basic services for member nations. First, its global communications system allows police from member nations to store and exchange information. Member countries are thereby connected and are able to access police information around the clock, including data regarding persons being sought by police forces worldwide. Second, Interpol makes its information available to law-enforcement agencies within numerous databases: Fingerprints, pictures, and even DNA profiles can be accessed by computer. Third, Interpol provides support for police operations throughout the world.
The General Assembly is Interpol’s governing body and is composed of delegates appointed by the governments of member states. It meets once a year and decides issues of general policy, resources, programs, and operations. Each member country has one vote, and decisions are made by a simple majority in the form of resolutions. The General Assembly also elects the organization’s Executive Committee, which supervises the execution of the decisions of the General Assembly and prepares the agenda for its sessions. The Executive Committee has thirteen members, a president, three vice presidents, and nine delegates. Interpol is funded from the member countries, with contributions based on each nation’s ability to pay.
National Central Bureaus
Each member country has its own Interpol office, or National Central Bureau (NCB). These bureaus form a point of contact for any foreign agency or government wishing to exchange or gather information on international criminal activities. The U.S. National Central Bureau (USNCB) operates within the guidelines prescribed by the Department of Justice, in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security . It is an office under the control and direction of the Department of Justice and Department of Treasury.
The threat of terrorist activities, the increasing internationalization of crime, and the large number of foreign nationals residing in or visiting the United States have increased the importance of the USNCB and its relationship to Interpol. USNCB assistance is given not only to authorities in Interpol member countries but also to all U.S. federal, state, and regional enforcement agencies. Each state has an Interpol contact, and numerous major metropolitan areas have direct access to Interpol’s resources; in 2004, Seattle joined New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, San Diego, and Miami.
One important Interpol service is helping member countries’ police communicate critical crime-related information to one another using Interpol’s international notices, a system that helps the world’s law-enforcement community exchange information about missing persons , unidentified bodies, and persons who are wanted in connection with serious crimes. These notices, color-coded to designate their purposes, are published at the request of a member country by the Interpol General Secretariat in the organization’s four official languages. The NCB of a country receives the notices and distributes them among appropriate law-enforcement authorities. Ten different types of notices exist to communicate various kinds of criminal information.
Interpol’s Role in Combating Terrorist Activities
In the wake of the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001, Interpol underwent substantial change in order to combat terrorism better. New, more efficient systems of information exchange have been developed to facilitate international police cooperation in combating terrorist activities. Interpol has also attempted to avoid politically sensitive aspects of terrorism by focusing on such criminal aspects as murder, kidnapping, and illegal weapons trade. On May 6, 2004—in association with the U.S. National Central Bureau of Interpol, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Interpol General Secretariat in Lyon, France—the U.S. Department of State announced that the United States was joining many other countries in providing current information on passports reported lost or stolen. This program was intended to contribute to worldwide travel document security and impede the movement of terrorists and other criminals across international borders.
Bibliography
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Deflem, M. Policing World Society: Historical Foundations of International Police Cooperation. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
Keaten, Jamey and Lori Hinnart. "Interpol at 100: A Mixed Legacy of Hunting Fugitives and Merging Police Data from 195 Countries." Associated Press, 6 Sept. 2023, apnews.com/article/interpol-red-notice-police-crime-anniversary-fec1b8c61edd96c6176e5847659942a6. Accessed 10July 2024.
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United States. Dept. of Justice. "About Interpol Washington." Justice.gov. US Dept. of Justice, 12 May 2023. Web. 26 May 2016.