INTERPOL
Interpol is the acronym for the International
Criminal Police Organization. It is an interna-
tional organization of police forces from 176
countries designed to coordinate INTERNA-
TIONAL LAW enforcement. Interpol furthers
mutual aid and cooperation among the police
forces of its national members in order to pre-
vent and inhibit crime.
Interpol was established in 1923,with the Gen-
eral Secretariat—the international headquarters
—located in Lyons, France.Delegates from mem-
ber countries meet once a year to discuss police
problems and admit new members. Each mem-
ber nation maintains and staffs its own national
central bureau. In the United States, the bureau is
located in Washington, D.C. The U.S. bureau is
under the direction and control of the Depart-
ments of Justice and of the Treasury, and is staffed
by personnel from those departments.
The General Secretariat is supported by
membership dues. Its budget is based on the
Swiss franc, since that is a stable currency.
Approximately five percent of the total budget is
paid by the United States.
Interpol is forbidden by its constitution to
undertake any intervention or activities of a
political, military, religious, or racial character.
Each national central bureau coordinates and
responds to inquiries received from local and
foreign law enforcement agencies. Each bureau
also arranges for resolutions adopted by Interpol
to be applied at the national level, and works to
ensure that the basic principles laid down by
Interpol’s constitution are followed. National
central bureaus are linked electronically to the
Interpol General Secretariat’s main database in
Lyons.
The organization uses a system of interna-
tional notices (circulars) to inform peace offi-
cers in the national bureaus of cases where
known criminals abandon their usual residence
and travel abroad surreptitiously. The color
coded circulars are distributed by Interpol
Headquarters to member countries within
twenty days of their issue, or, in urgent cases, the
same day. In the case of a fugitive whose arrest is
requested and whose EXTRADITION is likely, a
wanted notice containing details of the arrest
warrant and the offense committed is circulated.
In addition, Interpol conducts investiga-
tions of criminal activities, including drug traf-
