Who They Are

• Operate in nearly every country on Earth
• Facilitate police cooperation across legal systems
• Stay neutral, apolitical, and independent

Origins

• Headquartered in Lyon, France
• Established in 1923 as the ICPC
• Renamed ICPO in 1956

Notices & Alerts

• Issue Red Notices to locate wanted persons
• Send urgent diffusions on emerging threats
• Broadcast global alerts on crimes and risks

Databases

• Hold criminal records and stolen documents
• Store DNA profiles and fingerprints
• Give member police instant secure access

Capacity Building

• Train law enforcement worldwide
• Provide technical support and infrastructure
• Strengthen national policing capabilities

Cybercrime

• Combat digital fraud and online exploitation
• Disrupt cyber threats across borders
• Support investigations into emerging crime

Why They Exist

• Tackle crimes that overwhelm single nations
• Disrupt terrorist and organized crime networks
• Connect the right people to the right information

How They Operate

• Run the General Secretariat 24/7
• Deliver real-time operational support
• Back member states with tools and intelligence