Criminal networks increasingly exploit weak institutions and operate across borders, making it impossible for any police force to tackle them alone, the UN said on the International Day of Police Cooperation, marked each 7 September.
Organised crime is responsible for about 95,000 homicides each year, with about one-fifth of global intentional homicides committed by organised criminal groups, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. "By working together across borders, law enforcement agencies can better support survivors, apprehend perpetrators, disrupt criminal networks and advance safety for all," UN Secretary-General António Guterres said.
Modern crimes such as cybercrime, terrorism, fraud and human trafficking increasingly cross national borders, but police forces are frequently limited by those borders while criminals are not. The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) connects police forces in 196 countries to share data on crimes and criminals, though national police remain responsible for investigating crimes and enforcing domestic law. The UN also works with regional policing organisations and national authorities to strengthen cross-border police cooperation.
More than 7,700 UN Police personnel serve across 14 peace operations worldwide, helping to protect civilians and human rights, strengthen national police services and support countries' transitions from conflict to peace. UN Police do not serve as global police forces and generally do not make arrests or replace national law enforcement. Instead, officers protect civilians, advise and train national police, and help rebuild law enforcement institutions.
Effective policing also relies on communities to trust the institutions meant to protect them, UN officials said. This year's International Day of Police Cooperation carries the theme "Protecting against Vulnerability – Building Trust and Legitimacy in Policing." Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said: "At a time when confidence in public institutions is under strain in many parts of the world, policing institutions face a dual responsibility: to protect communities from harm and to demonstrate fairness, accountability and transparency in the exercise of their authority."
