16th April, 2019 Police Commissioner Stephen Caldwell opened a three days INTERPOL training that was held at the National Central Bureau (NCB) Nuku’alofa Office last week. This is the second Interpol Training held since Tonga Police re-connected with Interpol in November 2018.
Tonga first became a member of Interpol in September 1979 up until 2006.
“After the tragic event in Christchurch we need to all be more alert to potential threats. Full membership back into INTERPOL will greatly assist Tonga Police to meet the threat of cross border crime. We need to share information quickly, and we need to make the world a smaller place for criminals,” says Commissioner Caldwell.
“Re-connecting with Interpol means we can now share information with 136 other member countries.”
This is a very important move for Tonga Police and having access to information needed from other Interpol Agencies to help investigate crime or criminals, and sharing of information to assist with criminal investigations.
“Crimes nowadays are more complex, it is more transnational with Drug trafficking, cross border crime, Identify Fraud, Cybercrimes, theft of vehicles and shipped from one country to other countries, so on and so forth. In that it compel us, Tonga Police, and other law enforcement to strengthen our cooperation with national and international and law enforcement Agencies,” says Acting Superintendent Meleane Taueli.
The opening of the training was attended by officers from the Attorney General’s Office, Immigration, Tonga Cert and Custom. They were also able to participate during the first phase of the training.
Two AFP Officers from INTERPOL Canberra’s Office conducted the training.
ENDS
For Media Inquiries please contact: Tonga Police Media & Communication Officer, Tonga Police Headquarters, Longolongo; – Email: telesia.adams@police.gov.to phone (676) 23 323 EXT. 125