‘Advance safety for all’: International police cooperation helps tackle cross-border crime

This article is published in association with United Nations.

As criminal networks increasingly exploit weak institutions and operate across borders, the UN says no police force can tackle them alone.

Each 7 September, the UN marks the International Day of Police Cooperation, recognising the importance of international cooperation in supporting national law enforcement agencies.

Organised crime is responsible for about 95,000 homicides each year, and about one-fifth of global intentional homicides are at the hands of organised criminal groups, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

“By working together across borders, law enforcement agencies can better support survivors, apprehend perpetrators, disrupt criminal networks and advance safety for all,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said.

For more than six decades, UN Police have worked alongside UN peacekeeping and special political missions in places where conflict has weakened the rule of law and eroded public trust in judicial institutions.

More than 7,700 UN Police personnel are authorised to serve across 14 peace operations worldwide, helping to protect civilians and human rights, strengthen national police services and support countries’ transitions from conflict to peace.

What is international police cooperation?

Modern crimes such as cybercrime, terrorism, fraud and human trafficking increasingly cross national borders.

Police forces are frequently limited by these borders, while criminals are not. International police cooperation allows law enforcement agencies to share information, coordinate investigations and respond to crimes that occur across jurisdictions.

One of the main platforms for that cooperation is the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), which connects police forces in 196 countries to share data on crimes and criminals, even as national police remain responsible for investigating crimes and enforcing domestic law.

Along with INTERPOL, the UN also works with regional policing organizations and national authorities to strengthen the ability of police forces to operate across borders.

UN Police do not serve as global police forces and generally do not make arrests or replace national law enforcement. Instead, officers protect civilians, advise and train national police, and help rebuild law enforcement institutions.

“UN Police play a critical role in supporting Member States to strengthen policing institutions that are effective, accountable and responsive to the needs of all communities,” Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said.

UNODC, meanwhile, provides technical assistance to countries working to prevent and prosecute organised crime, trafficking, corruption and other transnational crimes.

The UN’s Inter-Agency Task Force on Policing helps coordinate policing-related work across UN entities, promoting a coherent approach and helping avoid overlap.

For example, cooperation between police in Côte d’Ivoire and Switzerland, coordinated through INTERPOL, helped dismantle a phishing operation that had defrauded Swiss victims of more than $1.4 million.

Building trust and legitimacy

These partnerships are becoming increasingly important as conflict, displacement and other crises create new opportunities for criminal networks to exploit vulnerable people.

But UN officials say effective policing also relies on communities to trust the institutions meant to protect them.

The theme for this year’s International Day of Police Cooperation is Protecting against Vulnerability – Building Trust and Legitimacy in Policing, emphasising the centrality of trust and legitimacy in police work.

“At a time when confidence in public institutions is under strain in many parts of the world, policing institutions face a dual responsibility: to protect communities from harm and to demonstrate fairness, accountability and transparency in the exercise of their authority,” Mr. Lacroix said.

Marginalised people often bear the brunt of lawlessness and exploitation. In the Central African Republic (CAR), for example, UN Police have worked with national police to strengthen their capacity to investigate trafficking and other forms of transnational organised crime.

In one instance, a UN police officer named Gladys Nkeh, from Cameroon, helped a 13-year-old girl who was raped get medical care and helped authorities arrest her assailant. The girl eventually named her child Gladys after the officer.

For UN officials, effective police cooperation ultimately depends on earning the confidence of the communities which officers serve, especially those most vulnerable to crime and abuse.

Acting Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism Alexandre Zouev said professional, accountable and trusted police institutions are best positioned to build the confidence communities need to assist investigations and address serious crimes.

“By recognising the distinct experiences and security concerns of women, men, girls and boys, law enforcement can better serve all members of society,” Mr. Zouev said.