International Criminal Police Organization (“INTERPOL”) is the world’s largest international police organization, with 188 member countries.  It was established in 1923 and facilitates cross border police cooperation, supports and assists organizations, authorities and services whose mission is to prevent international crime.  INTERPOL’s constitution prohibits any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character.  The president and the secretary general of INTERPOL work together to provide strong leadership and direction to the organization.

The core functions of INTERPOL are to secure global police communications services, to provide global databases and data services, to provide operational police support services and to provide training and development.  INTERPOL comprises of general assembly, executive committee, general secretariat, national central bureaus, advisers and commission for the control of INTERPOL’s files.

General assembly is the supreme governing body that takes important decisions related to policy, resources, working methods, finance, activities and programmes.  Executive committee is comprised of 13 members that include president, three vice presidents and nine delegates elected by the general assembly.

General secretariat is run by the secretary general with officials from more than 80 countries and it has seven regional offices across the world.  Each INTERPOL member country has a national central bureau staffed by national law enforcement officers.

Advisers are experts in a purely advisory capacity who may be appointed by executive committee and confirmed by general assembly.  Commission for the control of INTERPOL’s files is an independent body that ensures the processing of personal information by INTERPOL complies with organization’s regulations, advice INTERPOL on any project, operation or other matter that involves the processing of personal information and process requests concerning the information contained in INTERPOL’s files.