The 14th annual Heads of National Central Bureaus (NCBs) Conference held this week focused on the role NCBs play in supporting technological and strategic innovation in law enforcement.
Attending the three-day meeting, 295 senior police officials from 145 countries explored the theme “NCBs: the Gateways to Modern Policing — The Future is Now.”
Meng Hongwei, president of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), began the conference by calling for a future-oriented global policing strategy structured around proactive NCBs. He described a future in which law enforcement officers collaborate with governments, international partners and private sectors in all areas of policing.
“As contributors to the mission of INTERPOL, we cannot content ourselves with keeping pace, but must work tirelessly to stay ahead of criminals,” Hongwei said. “In order to do so, our NCBs must be seen as both our sensors and our first line of impact on the ground.”
Heads of NCBs were briefed on planned changes in policing capabilities and best practices for how INTERPOL and its member countries can use new technology for police work. Delegates reviewed INTERPOL 2020 reform agenda projects including initiatives related to the use of artificial intelligence, digital witness programs, biometric identification capabilities, online training platforms and translating tools.
“In this evolution of how INTERPOL delivers its policing capabilities, our NCBs remain absolutely central in guiding our efforts and deploying our capabilities throughout the membership,” INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock said.