Posted: 8/14/2004 1:18:42 AM EDT
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Interpol 1. Almost 180 countries are Interpol members 2. Interpol's headquarters are in Lyon, France 3. It's funded by each of the member countries 4. Interpol only deals with international crimes 5. Temporarily closed when Hitler invaded Austria What is Interpol? Like the CIA, MI5 and the KGB, Interpol is a name that you immediately associate with international crime fighting on a par with Mission: Impossible or James Bond, but the reality has a lot more to do with international co-operation than international espionage. The International Criminal Police Organisation, or Interpol, was created to hinder the activities of criminals who were exploiting the relative freedom of borders between countries in the early part of the 20th century. For years, smugglers and thieves could commit crimes in one European country and escape across the border to gain immunity within a neighbouring state, before any authorities could catch up with them. How does it fight crime? The barriers of language, culture and distance can cause difficulty for police officers investigating criminal activity that spans one or more country, but Interpol can provide unbiased assistance that benefits most law enforcement agencies. Interpol deals only with international crime, so much of their work is focused on terrorism and organised crime, within areas such as drug trafficking, arms dealing, money laundering, human trafficking and high tech crime; all of which are carried out within criminal networks that span the globe. The information that the organisation gather from across the globe is available to law enforcement agencies within numerous databases, and it is the upkeep and collation of that intelligence that make Interpol a vital part of the criminal investigation process in many countries. Each member country has its own Interpol office, or National Central Bureau, which is staffed by the national police force - in the UK the bureau is part of the International Division of the NCIS. These bureaus form a point of contact for any foreign agency or government who wish to exchange or gather information on particular criminal activities. Contrary to belief, most Interpol officers are based within their country's bureau and not travelling the world combating crime, but nevertheless, the co-operation of each officer is vital to many international criminal investigations. Interpol is governed by a general assembly that meet once a year and make decisions regarding strategy and policy, each member country has a single vote and the delegates are made up of individuals appointed by the relevant member government. As a truly global organisation, Interpol gains funding from each member country (the amount contributed is based on the country's ability to pay). What's the history? A solution to this growing problem was needed and at the 1914 International Criminal Police Congress in Monaco, it was suggested that an international support agency should be set-up to combat crime across the globe - the idea for Interpol was born. Despite being universally endorsed, the onset of the First World War interrupted its development, and it wasn't until Dr Johannes Schober reconvened the International Criminal Police Congress in Vienna, Austria in 1923 that the idea returned to the legislative table. It was at this congress that the International Criminal Police Commission (ICPC) was established to enhance cross-border criminal police co-operation. The new ICPC headquarters were located in Vienna, and the original 14 members chose the congress hosts, Austria, to take charge of the commission for the first year. Unfortunately, it was this geographical location that led to the temporary dissolution of the ICPC when Nazi Germany took control of Austria in 1938, shortly after the United States of America joined the commission. Little is known of the activities of Interpol during the Second World War, or whether Hitler used any of the ICPCs information to benefit his campaign. However, in 1946 the commission was reconstituted with new headquarters in Paris, and only a decade later the ICPC changed its name to the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol). Interpol has progressed since the turmoil caused by both World Wars to encompass almost 180 member countries from over five continents, which makes it the second biggest international organisation after the United Nations. The modern organisation adheres closely to the concept of Interpol as an internationally accessible cross-border criminal police agency, and it still relies on the good will of its member countries and the co-operation of the world's leading law enforcement organisations. Timeline 1914 the international police commission was discussed at the ICP Congress in Monaco 1923 the ICPC was set-up after the International Criminal Police Congress in Vienna 1938 Hitler invaded annexed Austria and the ICPC was temporarily disbanded 1946 the ICPC was re-established within new headquarters in Paris 1956 the ICPC changes its name to the International Criminal Police Organisation 1989 the ICPO move their headquarters from Paris to Lyon, France www.interpol.int/ |