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International cooperation
International cooperation
Finnish police pursue broad cross-border cooperation. The cooperation is considered international, as it takes place across Finland’s national borders. Cooperation is important, because the Finnish police can only operate in Finland. The authorities of other states cannot maintain law and order in Finland.
Not all forms of crime appear in one state only. Criminals are organised and operate through cross-border networks. People can become victims of different types of crime when moving freely and using information networks. State borders can only hinder crime to a limited extent as some of it takes place through information networks.
Cooperation improves Finland’s internal security
It is possible to prepare for different threats beforehand and prevent them from coming true. Thanks to cooperation, criminals can also be caught outside of Finland. The police have many ways of cooperating across borders, such as
- commitment to the crime prevention conventions of international organisations usually offers the police access to the means available under the conventions,
- participation in information exchange between the international criminal police organisation Interpol and the police of different countries,
- participation in cooperation for simultaneously revealing criminal organisations together with the authorities of the European Union,
- agreeing practical police matters with the neighbouring countries.
Cooperation involves learning and making things compatible
A broad-based, unbiased approach is important in international cooperation. Different authorities look after internal security in different countries. There are several police authorities in some countries. Different types of tasks and operating methods are constantly being combined in international cooperation.
The authorities also try to learn from the means and working methods of other authorities. Finnish arrangements are usually considered practical and flexible.
Cooperation relations do not come up on their own. The cornerstone of cooperation is often multilateral and bilateral agreements between states. By committing to the agreements, they indicate their will to act together.
The intention is to find solutions and operating methods for common problems through practical cooperation relations, which are maintained and updated in regular meetings. Documents describing the common goals in more detail are called cooperation programmes or plans.
Finland is a fairly small nation and its police are a small organisation. The Finnish police have a lot of experience about cooperation between authorities and with stakeholders. We also actively develop and organise international cooperation. It is often a good idea to arrange special competence training together. Useful things are implemented together with international partners, of the kind we could not accomplish alone.
The police receive and submit a lot of information across borders
The police need information in order to be able to ensure the security of society. Information exchange is also the cornerstone of international cooperation of the police. It means exchanging information with the authorities of other countries. The international criminal police organisation Interpol and the European Union law enforcement agency Europol are also partners in information exchange. Information exchange can concern suspects, stolen documents, vehicles or illegal substances, for instance.
The police exchange information in order to prevent crime. Criminal groups usually try the same technique of crime in many states. The techniques of crime are called criminal phenomena. Information obtained from abroad on such phenomena makes it easier for the authorities to identify them and communicate about them.
The National Bureau of Investigation acts as the centre for international criminal police cooperation in Finland. In this capacity, the National Bureau of Investigation acts as a contact point for the law enforcement authorities of whole Finland. The authorities can contact the National Bureau of Investigation for advice, and its experts provide guidance in information exchange. The police need such expert assistance in making international information searches, for instance.
The National Bureau of Investigation houses the Communications Centre. It is the main user of encrypted international information exchange channels. It also ensures that Finland provides additional information for warrants of apprehension, for example.
Read also: Long history of international Police cooperation
Poliisin kansainvälisellä toiminnalla on monia muotoja -haitarin otsikko en
International activities by the police take many forms
Poliisin kansainvälisellä toiminnalla on monia muotoja -haitari en
The purpose of the International Criminal Police Organisation Interpol is to ensure broad cooperation between police authorities. The police of almost all states in the world are members of Interpol. Interpol maintains an encrypted information exchange channel between its members. The Finnish police participate in the operation and development of Interpol in many ways.
The European Union has established agreements on the free movement of goods, services, capital and people. This means that there are no border checks in countries belonging to the European Union. Crime prevention has been intensified in many ways:
- The Schengen information system provides quick access to data on warrants of apprehension and requests for action.
- The European Union’s law enforcement agency Europol compiles information on international crime in its information system and produces threat scenarios.
- European Agency for Law Enforcement Training CEPOL supplements national training and arranges exchange programmes.
- An European Arrest Warrant allows quick surrendering of a wanted person.
The police participate and influence in developing legislation and operating methods within the EU’s structures. The police are also engaged in preventing forms of crime jointly considered important. The EU Member States and the Nordic countries are important international partners to the police.
The police dispatch officials to overseas destinations to act as liaison officers for a fixed period of time. They are stationed at places important in view of combatting crime. They are often positioned at Finnish embassies. Their duty is to produce information on their host country of relevance to the police. The liaison officers also help the host country’s authorities prevent crime targeted at Finland.
The authorities can mutually consult the liaison officers of the Finnish police, Customs and Border Guard. Where necessary, the liaison officers also help the authorities of other Nordic countries.
Nordic police cooperation is pursued at two levels:
- direct cross-border local cooperation and
- practical and strategic cooperation managed by supreme police command.
The police prevent organised crime in the Baltic region by participating in the operation of a cooperative body. Since 1996, the Baltic states have promoted the exchange of information, training and cooperation in legal matters.
Their common activities are attended by the police, customs and border guard authorities and partly also prosecutors. Together they combat organised crime, such as smuggling drugs, vehicles and people. The name of the cooperation body is Task Force on Organised Crime in the Baltic Sea Region.