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Description
The project aims at increasing the operational support for police activities in partnership with Norwegian Police, as well as the operational capacities to improve the effectiveness of the police system, particularly in the area of trafficking of human beings, economic crimes and combating itinerant crime. The project will enhance the bilateral operational cooperation between the police in Norway and Romania.
The project will, inter alia, include the following main activities:
- Modernisation of and increased capacity of the national fingerprinting system AFIS;
- Deployment of Romanian Police officers to Norway;
- Deployment of Norwegian Police officers to Romania;
- Training and capacity building with introduction of new measures and methodology through bilateral workshops, seminars and sharing of best practises;
- Improved access to updated equipment in the use of investigation;
- Awareness raising campaigns with the aim of preventing crime, including trafficking of human beings;
- Rehabilitation/construction of training facilities and specialiced training of Romanian police staff in countering trafficking and organized crime.
Summary of project results
The project addressed combating organized crime, human trafficking and money laundering, seeking also to enhance law enforcement capabilities. Recognizing the transnational nature of these crimes, it prioritized bilateral cooperation, particularly with Norway, through operational support, specialized trainings, modern equipment and enhancing a closer collaboration across borders to disrupt criminal networks.
This project strengthened Romania''s ability to fight itinerant crime, human trafficking and economic crime through international cooperation, training, equipment acquisition and system modernizations. The project''s activities and outputs are as follows:
International Cooperation & Operational Support:
- Experience Exchange (A.1 & A.6): Workshops and exchange visits with Norwegian partners (KRIPOS) and other affected states fostered collaboration and knowledge sharing in combating itinerant crime and economic crime.
- Operational Support (A.2): Deployment of Romanian officers to Norway and reciprocal visits by Norwegian officers facilitated joint investigations and information exchange. This contributed to:
- Output 2.1: Number of police officers participating in joint missions
- Combating Internet Money Laundering (A.9): Training seminars conducted by NTNU resulted in:
- Output 2.6.1: Number of continuous training courses/curricula put in place
- Output 2.6.2: Number of law enforcement officers trained
Capacity Building & Training:
- Specialized Training (A.4): OSINT training for operational staff enhanced online investigation skills.
- Financial Investigations Course (A.8): Specialized courses and train-the-trainer program developed expertise in financial investigations, leading to the accomplishment of the following outputs:
- Output 2.4: Days of training
- Output 2.6.1: Number of continuous training courses/curricula put in place
- Output 2.6.2: Number of law enforcement officers trained
- Output 2.6.3: Number of trainers trained
- Capacity Building (A.10): Renovation of training facilities and development of new curricula enhanced training capacity, contributing to:
- Output 2.4: Days of training
- Output 2.6.1: Number of continuous training courses/curricula put in place
Equipment & System Modernization:
- Equipment Procurement (A.3 & A.7): Acquisition of encrypted communication systems, vehicles, IT equipment, and night vision cameras improved operational effectiveness. This contributed to:
- Output 2.5: Number of financial investigators supported with specialized equipment
- AFIS Modernization (A.11): Upgrades to the AFIS system enhanced identification and transaction capacity, resulting in:
- Output 2.2.1: AFIS system operational and compliant
- Output 2.2.2: Increased database capacity
- Output 2.2.3: Increased transaction capacity
Public Awareness:
- Prevention Campaign (A.5): Online campaign targeting vulnerable citizens increased awareness of human trafficking, leading to:
- Output 2.3: Number of suspected victims of human trafficking of Romanian citizenship receiving information/assistance
Experience Exchange (A.1 & A.6):
- Activity: Workshops and exchange visits with international partners.
- Impact: Strengthened international cooperation, improved information sharing, development of professional networks, and transfer of expertise.
- Beneficiaries: Romanian law enforcement, international partners, general public (through improved cross-border crime fighting).
Operational Support (A.2):
- Activity: Deployment of Romanian officers to Norway and reciprocal visits.
- Impact: Increased joint investigations, improved information exchange, and more effective targeting of transnational criminals.
- Beneficiaries: Romanian and Norwegian law enforcement, general public in both countries.
Equipment Procurement (A.3 & A.7):
- Activity: Acquisition of encrypted communication systems, vehicles, IT equipment and specialized tools.
- Impact: Improved operational effectiveness, enhanced detection and investigation capabilities, especially in human trafficking and economic crime cases.
- Beneficiaries: Romanian law enforcement, victims of crime (through more effective investigations).
Specialized Training (A.4), Financial Investigations Course (A.8), Combating Internet Money Laundering (A.9), and Capacity Building (A.10):
- Activity: Training in OSINT, financial investigations, internet money laundering, and general law enforcement skills. Development of new training curricula and renovation of training facilities.
- Impact: Enhanced investigative skills, increased expertise in specialized areas, improved capacity to tackle complex crimes.
- Beneficiaries: Romanian law enforcement officers, indirectly the public through more effective policing.
Prevention Campaign (A.5):
- Activity: Online campaign targeting vulnerable citizens.
- Impact: Increased public awareness of human trafficking risks, empowering potential victims to seek help.
- Beneficiaries: Romanian citizens at risk of being trafficked.
AFIS Modernization (A.11):
- Activity: Upgrades to the Automated Fingerprint Identification System.
- Impact: Increased identification capacity, faster processing of transactions, improved efficiency and security of investigations.
- Beneficiaries: Romanian law enforcement, judicial system, general public (through faster and more accurate crime solving).
Summary of bilateral results
Joint missions between Romanian and Norwegian police officers proved highly effective in investigating cross-border crimes, enabling direct collaboration, information sharing and synchronized investigative methods. Expert exchanges, workshops and training sessions further enhanced officers'' skills in investigating organized crime, combating human trafficking and utilizing modern technology in police operations. This collaboration in PDP2 project led to a significant increase in investigative capacity, improved operational efficiency and a higher number of cooperatively investigated cases. The exchange of operational information and strategies facilitated better documentation of criminal activities, suspect identification and capture and enhanced legal and operational support for case resolution.