INTERPOL Trains Police to Boost Global Crime-Fighting Capacity
The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) has launched an intensive two-day training workshop aimed at enhancing the operational capabilities of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) in managing and deploying advanced database tools.
Led by specialists from INTERPOL’s General Secretariat in France, the capacity-building initiative opened on October 6, 2026. The sessions focus on equipping officers with critical skills to update, maintain, and retrieve vital law enforcement intelligence using INTERPOL's Database Management Tool (DMT).
Through INTERPOL's secure I-24/7 global network, SLP personnel gain real-time access to crucial international databases containing records on wanted individuals, stolen travel documents, motor vehicles, fingerprints, DNA profiles, and criminal histories.
Underscoring the strategic value of the initiative, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Alpha Kamara, Head of the SLP Training Department, emphasized that ongoing professional development remains vital to modernizing the police force and maximizing institutional effectiveness.
DSP Kamara urged participants to actively implement the workshop’s technical insights, stressing that meticulous data management is essential to maintaining accurate, reliable, and instantly accessible criminal records.
INTERPOL Operations Specialist Najwa Hemri and ACP Sheku Bahja-Koroma highlighted how proper utilization of the DMT directly bolsters police operations. They noted that high-quality data enables investigators to perform rapid background checks, establish complex criminal links, and collaborate seamlessly with international law enforcement partners.
They said timely and accurate data can help law enforcement conduct checks, establish links between individuals and criminal activities, and improve cooperation with police authorities in other countries.
Demonstrating the real-world impact of integrated intelligence, INTERPOL officials reported that its global databases generated over 1.8 million positive hits in 2024 alone—underscoring the necessity of continuously updated and standardized records.
Visiting delegates reminded attendees to uphold rigorous standards of data accuracy, strict confidentiality, and utmost professionalism throughout all aspects of information handling.
This training workshop forms part of a broader global effort to foster cross-border intelligence sharing and strengthen joint law enforcement operations against transnational organized crime and security threats.
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