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 INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police
organisation, with 186 member countries. Created in
1923, it facilitates cross-border police co-operation, and
supports and assists all organisations, authorities and
services whose mission is to prevent or combat international
crime.
INTERPOL aims to facilitate international police
co-operation even where diplomatic relations do not exist
between particular countries. Action is taken within the
limits of existing laws in different countries and in the
spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
INTERPOL’s constitution prohibits ‘any intervention or
activities of a political, military, religious or racial
character.’
The President of INTERPOL and the Secretary General work
closely together in providing strong leadership and
direction to the Organization.
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As defined in Article 5 of its Constitution, INTERPOL
(whose correct full name is 'The International Criminal Police
Organization – INTERPOL’) comprises the following:
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General Assembly
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Executive Committee
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General Secretariat
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National Central Bureaus
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Advisers
The General Assembly and the Executive Committee form the
organization’s Governance.
General Assembly – INTERPOL’s supreme governing body, it
meets annually and comprises delegates appointed by each member
country. The assembly takes all important decisions related to
policy, resources, working methods, finances, activities and
programmes.
Executive Committee – this 13-member committee is elected
by the General Assembly, and comprises the president, three
vice-presidents and nine delegates covering the four regions.
General Secretariat – located in Lyon, France, the
General Secretariat operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and
is run by the Secretary General. Officials from more than 80
countries work side-by-side in any of the organization’s four
official languages: Arabic, English, French and Spanish. The
Secretariat has six regional offices; in Argentina, Côte
d’Ivoire, El Salvador, Kenya, Thailand and Zimbabwe, and a
liaison office at the United Nations in New York.
National Central Bureaus (NCB) – Each INTERPOL member
country maintains a National Central Bureau staffed by national
law enforcement officers. The NCB is the designated contact
point for the General Secretariat, regional offices and other
member countries requiring assistance with overseas
investigations and the location and apprehension of fugitives.
Advisers – these are experts in a purely advisory
capacity, who may be appointed by the Executive Committee and
confirmed by the General Assembly.
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