Exploring International Law Enforcement Information Exchange

Criminals are benefitting from globalisation without the constraints experienced by law enforcement. To successfully tackle transnational crime, cross-border cooperation is a necessity with the support of an effective mechanism to disseminate information internationally. Information sharing and multi-agency working are integral to preventative and proactive strategies, however, despite calls to share criminal information across borders and evidence of positive outcomes, formal and informal intelligence sharing alliances, and co-ordinated international policing operations, limitations to effectively engage in this process remain. Law enforcement cannot rely on 20th century technology and methods to effectively police the 21st century. Despite billions of pounds being spent across developed countries to improve co-ordinated intelligence responses, there has been no independent analysis as to what works. To meet the demand generated by global offending, an effective solution requires a joined-up approach.
In 2003, the Bichard Inquiry was launched following the tragic murder of two young girls in the UK. Failures in the information exchange process prevented forces sharing details about the offender's criminal history. The Police National Database (PND), a national information management system, was launched following a recommendation of the Inquiry, enabling multi-agency sharing of local information on a national-scale, allowing investigators to see the full picture of an individual. Whilst the benefits of the PND are evident, research identified limitations associated with a reluctance to share information, a lack of governance, a resistance to business change and confusing legislation. The developers of the PND are working with the international criminal justice sector to create a similar mechanism, 'CGI iD360', marking a significant turning point for international law enforcement agencies.
This project aims to critically assess how information can be effectively exchanged between law enforcement agencies globally, by identifying the crucial underlying factors, specifically in relation to serious organised crime, human trafficking and modern slavery investigations. A mixed methods approach is proposed with participants from the Five Eyes community, including primary data collection via surveys, interviews and multi-agency workshops, and secondary data from law enforcement agencies, which will be examined via quantitative and qualitative analytical techniques. The research will be conducted in collaboration with business, academia and law enforcement, both nationally and internationally, to enable actionable outcomes that will have transnational impact for practice, policy and research. The development of conclusive evidence-based guidance on information exchange practice for law enforcement practitioners and policy makers presents an accessible and informed knowledge base to prevent failures in information exchange, and subsequent safeguarding, from reoccurring. This project will revolutionise the international landscape of information exchange in law enforcement, with significant benefits to practitioners, policy makers, governments, technology developers, the general public and academics.