G7 ministers call for increased law enforcement cooperation with INTERPOL

INTERPOL took center stage in recent discussions between G7 Interior Ministers, who determined that increased cooperation and data sharing with the international police organization is critical to increased law enforcement efforts throughout the world.

“INTERPOL has the experience and the network to ensure that vital information from the conflict zones is put in the hands of the police officers who need it most, those on the frontline,” INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock said. “The continued support of G7 Interior Ministers for INTERPOL’s activities in this area is important in making sure this global early warning system is as effective as possible.”

Citing the recent terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, some of the world’s most powerful nations are presently debating how best to combat use of the Internet by terrorist and extremist elements. They also want to see greater collaboration on data collection, transfer, and analysis between military and law enforcement agencies. In both cases, their eyes have turned increasingly to INTERPOL, which presently operates the world’s largest data collection of foreign terrorist fighters.

To date, the organization hosts nearly 50,000 such identity details. More than 11,000 of them come with photos, fingerprints and even DNA profiles.

Therefore, G7 ministers want to see such information become more of a collective. They want such data to be available at border control centers while cranking up border control mechanisms themselves. Human trafficking, terrorism, and environmental crime are the current focuses.