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The Americas region strongly supports sharing international police information with frontline officers, said conference chairman and INTERPOL Vice President Arturo Herrero Verdugo (left).

Delegates called for more training to help law enforcement address current and emerging global crime threats.

BOGOTA, Colombia – The INTERPOL Americas Regional Conference ended today with delegates calling on the INTERPOL General Secretariat to provide additional training support to help law enforcement address current and emerging global crime threats.

The development of the INTERPOL Global and Regional Anti-Crime Centres was also welcomed as a significant step forward in the provision of centralised expertise for police worldwide.

INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble said the allocation of both financial and human resources to support the creation of the centres should be a priority for all governments.

'Not every country can provide the resources required by their law enforcement officers in terms of training or expert knowledge, and the Global and Regional Anti-Crime Centres will help fill this gap,' said Mr Noble.

'We now need governments to make a full commitment to supporting international law enforcement to become more efficient and effective in combating increasingly global crime threats.

'It is only through 100 per cent participation by each of our 186 member countries and with support from the private sector that we can hope to meet the challenges which lie ahead.'

Another key issue identified by delegates at the three-day conference was the need for enhanced co-operation between all INTERPOL regions.

'While each country faces their own specific crime issues, it is important that law enforcement agencies remain aware of the threats posed from elsewhere in the world,' said INTERPOL Vice-President for the Americas and conference chairman, Arturo Herrera Verdugo.

'An important theme of this conference has been communication, and with 12 countries having already expanded access to INTERPOL’s databases to border-control officers, the Americas region is playing an important role in ensuring that vital police information from around the world is being made available to frontline officers.'

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