Canadian law enforcement community to directly access essential INTERPOL databases

INTERPOL Ottawa and the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC), which are both housed at RCMP headquarters in Ottawa, partnered with INTERPOL General Secretariat in Lyon, France, to develop a primary gateway for the Canadian law enforcement community by providing real-time access to INTERPOL databases through the CPIC system.

“This initiative is timely for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police,” said RCMP Commissioner William Elliott. “The new Interface will contribute to protective policing initiatives surrounding major international events like the Vancouver 2010 Olympics Games in February and the G8 in June next year.”

Police forces and law enforcement agencies will be able to instantly search INTERPOL databases, which include 173 000 names of wanted international fugitives or persons of interest and more than 18 million stolen or lost travel documents, of which over ten million are passports.

“The entire Canadian law enforcement system will now have real time 24/7 access to INTERPOL’S databases and related resources. This will enable those officers to utilize the most thorough and current intelligence regarding fugitives attempting to enter, remain in or leave Canada,” said INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble. “This is exactly the kind of global commitment that can best ensure security for all of our 187 member countries. The international law enforcement community thanks and applauds this joint Canadian-INTERPOL initiative.”

This new interface will be available to 66,000 police officers from over 380 law enforcement agencies in the country who access CPIC on a daily basis for investigational purposes, including the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency. The database will improve officer safety, as quick responses to a query will signal whether the subject should be investigated further.

“Police Chiefs across Canada are excited about improved access to INTERPOL information. Transnational crime – which includes drug trafficking, terrorism and high-tech crime – is a growing concern in all police jurisdictions,” said Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Julian Fantino who was representing the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.

INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization with 187 member countries. It facilitates cross border police cooperation, supports, and assists all organizations, authorities, and services whose mission is to prevent and combat international crime. The INTERPOL Ottawa team provides support and promotes INTERPOL services to municipal, provincial and federal police forces in Canada on issues related to international crimes and investigations.

Operational since 1972, the Canadian Police Information Centre is a computerized system that provides tactical information on crimes and criminals. It is the only national information-sharing system that links criminal justice and law enforcement partners across Canada. CPIC is a real-time system available on a 24/7 basis, 365 days per year to provide invaluable investigative assistance to law enforcement and support agencies.