20 November 2003. Thanks to D.
New York Newsday, November 19, 2003
By Daryl Khan
Staff Writer
The NYPD will be the first police department in the United States to plug into a Interpol database that allows access to fingerprints, passports and pictures.
Ronald Noble, secretary general of Interpol, the world's largest international police organization, said the heavily encrypted system, named I-24/7, will put information about suspects anywhere in the world at police officers' fingertips.
"One issue that's very important for police officers around the world is when they stop someone on the street, for them to know whether that person is known to police anywhere in the world, to know the characteristics of that criminal record that the person might have and to know whether the person is being actively searched," Noble said.
Although the new system will assist city police in fighting criminal enterprises ranging from drugs to organized crime, both Noble and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that it would be instrumental in fighting terrorism.
"Speed can make the difference between public safety and disaster, especially where terrorism is concerned," Noble said.
In 2000, Interpol's database listed 219 people believed to have terrorist ties. That number has swelled to 1,489 this year. Of those, 600 are being sought for arrest and extradition.
Access to Interpol's database is part of a pilot program that will include seven other major American cities by June.
Several countries, including Brazil, Germany and the United Kingdom, already have access to the system.
The announcement comes as Interpol said it would begin issuing "red notices" for people who have arrest warrants and are members of terrorist organizations. The notices will contain details about the crime and which law enforcement agency issued the warrant. In the past, red notices were not issued for people suspected of being members of terrorist organizations.
The change comes as more of Interpol's 181 member countries make membership in a terrorist organization a crime.
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