Interpol

Interpol has its origins in the decisions of an international congress which was held in 1914 to discuss possibilities for simplifying and accelerating the international search for wanted suspects, the improvement of methods of identification, the harmonization of extradition procedures and the centralization of information concerning international criminals - needs which are still valid and underpin the role of Interpol in the new millenium. There are 186 member countries throughout the world (2007), and activities are coordinated from an ultra-modern General Secretariat in Lyon, France. One of Interpol's constitutional aims is to ensure and promote the widest possible mu­tual assistance between all criminal police authorities within the limits of the laws exist­ing in the different countries and in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Intervention is forbidden, however, in political, religious, racial or military matters.

Today, the vast majority of the work of Interpol is carried out through the offices, the National Central Bureaux (NCBs), established in each member country to serve as the focal point for international cooperation.

The particular problem of language is overcome by Interpol by largely restricting com­munications to four languages - English, French, Spanish and Arabic. The prerequisite for cooperation of any kind is an adequate means of communication. With 181 member countries, Interpol has been faced with an enormous challenge to develop a system which will operate quickly and efficiently whichever of those countries should need to speak to each other. Today Interpol boasts an efficient, se­cure and reliable telecommunications system which links each of the NCBs by e-mail and gives automated access to a central database of information on international crime and criminals.

Interpol is a source of criminal information and intelligence. The Interpol Criminal In­formation System (ICIS) is a powerful storage and retrieval system which incorporates several fields, one of which, for example, is dedicated to information relating to drug seizures.

One of the most important features of the role of Interpol as a source of information concerns its international notices, relating to persons who are wanted for extradition. The notices include all available identifying details, including photographs and finger­prints, together with all the relevant information giving rise to its issue.

Interpol also is a medium to establish a policy for international police cooperation. More than 500 conferences are organized every year. These provide members with the op­portunity for their decision-makers to agree policy and set standards for international police cooperation.

As an organization Interpol has undergone dramatic changes during the last few years. Every effort is being made to take advantage of developments in terms of information technology, and structures are being created to ensure the delivery of a service that is focused upon the needs of its member countries. There remains, however, much to be done. It has yet to be decided, for example, how best Interpol should take advantage of the progress that has been made in the field of identification of persons such as DNA profiling and Automatic Fingerprint Identification Systems. It is not enough, for example, simply to equip the NCBs with modern telecommunications facilities when many countries lack the infrastructure to communicate efficiently internally.