Description
The project relevance is linked with the development of criminal environment of Romanian origin in Norway. From the data analysis and assessments performed by the Norwegian National Police Directorate, it results that Romanians criminal groups had the most rapid increase in criminal activities in Norway since the EU expansion in 2007, the most observed felonies being linked to petty crimes, pickpocketing, thefts, but also trafficking in persons, goods, drugs, and economic crimes. The general objective of the project is to strengthen the cooperation between Norway and Romania in fighting the criminal itinerant groups and human trafficking. The specific objectives of the project are: - supporting the operative cooperation through the deployment of Romanian police officers in Norway; - enhancing the investigative capabilities, information verification and exchange between the Romanian Police, POD, international police cooperation bodies, including the cooperation with EUROPOL and within Joint Investigation Teams; - capacity building and improving the endowment of the Romanian Police, in order to fight criminal itinerant networks on the Romanian territory and reduce the export of criminality abroad; - good practices and expertise transfer between Norwegian and Romanian Police in the field of criminal itinerant groups and human trafficking; The project is dedicated on reducing crime within Schengen Area, and especially on combating threats due to criminal networks linked to Norway (police cooperation, improving professional skills and technical capacities). This will eventually lead to a more effective prevention and action. The main target group is the law enforcement personnel with responsibilities in fighting organized crime, mainly from the Romanian police, but also from other institutions from the justice chain. The final beneficiary is the European citizen, by increasing the security in a space of freedom and justice.
Summary of project results
The general objective of this project was to reduce crime in the Schengen area, by increasing police cooperation between Romania and Norway in fighting organized crime, focusing on itinerant criminal groups specialized in different sort of crimes. The project proposed aproach aiming directly at reducing criminality of Romanian origin in Norway was achieved through the deployment of 25 police officers in Norway in order to provide assistance to the Norwegian Police. The feedback was that the missions have been highly successful and they will continue in the future NFM Framework. Also, the project envisaged the exchange of good practices and expertise tranfer between the two police in the field of criminal itinerant groups and human trafficking and this has been achieved through organizing workshops/seminars on the topics. There were 538 police officers who participated at these events, with 238 more than the proposed target in the project. It can be concluded that the interest was significant from both sides. Further more, with the same result of exchanging and sharing knowledge, during the implementation of the project were organized: 1 international conference on cross-border crime issues and 2 training sessions in the field of JITs. The project aimed through its implementation to enhance the investigative and information verification and the transfer capabilities of the Romanian Police. In order to achieve this outcome, there were organized 5 national meetings on criminal investigation, 1 national meeting on issues related to combating trafficking in human beings. At these events attended stakeholders from Romania involved in preventing and combating THB, namely police officers, prosecutors, representatives of the National Agency against Trafficking in Human Beings. The project comprised also acquisitions of equipment - 38 tender procedures for forensics on mobile terminals and also(surveillance, IT&C and Open Source Solutions, renovations, furnishing and equipment for interview facilities, a multi-functional center to increase operational capabilities of Romanian Police. The key achievement of the project is the improvement of the effectiveness of fight against organized crime, especially criminal itinerant cross-border groups, which are representing a threat to the security of the citizens throughout Europe. Due to the globalization of criminal networks, the improvement of their skills and technical means, the achievement of the activities of this project is definitely contributing in preventing and reducing crime.
Summary of bilateral results
The importance of POD’s support was crucial for the implementation of PDP1, in organizing the operative joint missions (establishing the areas of interest / specializations, organizing the deployments, ensuring the communication and the contacts with the police districts from Norway, the assessment of the results, etc). POD had a consistent involvement in the bilateral activities at programme level as well. Bilateral activities at the project level: - workshops, study visits in the field of investigation criminal itinerant groups and human trafficking in order to facilitate and increase the transfer of expertise and exchange of good practices between the two law enforcement authorities (Romanian Police and Norway Police) - deployment of Romanian Police officers in Norway for fighting the Romanian criminal itinerant groups and human trafficking and for support of the Norwegian Police activities, that led to establishing common understanding, mutual trust, professional and personal networking. . The project contributed to strengthened bilateral relations at the project level and the deployment of the Romanian officers in Norway will be continued in the Programme “Home Affairs” - NFM 2014-2012