Resolution No AG-2002-RES-01
Select a session 74th Session - Berlin - 2005 73rd Session - Cancún - 2004 72nd Session - Benidorm - 2003 71st Session - Yaoundé - 2002 70th Session - Budapest - 2001 69th Session - Rhodes - 2000 68th Session - Seoul - 1999 67th Session - Cairo - 1998 66th Session - New Delhi - 1997 65th Session - Antalya - 1996

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Adopting the global standards to combat corruption in police forces/services

The ICPO-Interpol General Assembly, meeting in Yaoundé from 21 to 24 October 2002 at its 71st session:

RECALLING Resolution No. AG-2001-RAP-04 adopted by the General Assembly at its 70th session (Budapest, September 2001),

CONVINCED that corruption undermines the effectiveness of law enforcement, the efficiency and legitimacy of police forces/services in the performance of their functions and public confidence in law enforcement and justice,

FURTHER CONVINCED that corruption within police forces/services can be prevented and eradicated by determined and forceful national action by all Member States and by international co-operation,

CONSIDERING that effective policing requires the combating of all forms of corruption in the performance of policing functions and the promotion of high standards of honesty, integrity and ethical behaviour for police officers and other employees of police forces/services,

PERSUADED that determined efforts to fight corruption and promote high standards of honesty, integrity and ethical behaviour increase the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces/services and enhance support for law enforcement by civil society,

FURTHER PERSUADED that policing will only be effective if those involved in the criminal justice system, such as prosecutors, magistrates and judges, also have high standards of honesty, integrity and ethical behaviour and are determined to give leadership to others also involved in the criminal justice system,

RECOGNIZING the need to make the citizens of Member States aware of the detrimental effects of corruption on law and order, public and individual safety, the preservation of property and the cost of law enforcement,

FURTHER RECOGNIZING the responsibility of Member States to detect and hold accountable corrupt police officers and other employees of police forces/services and to bring them to justice,

DETERMINED to take forceful action to prevent, detect, punish and eradicate corruption in, and in connection with, the performance of policing functions and to promote high standards of honesty, integrity, ethical behaviour and efficiency in police forces/services within their national boundaries,

ACCEPTING that each of the principles and measures included in the "Standards" have been deemed as sufficiently important in the fight against Corruption to be included by the Interpol Group of Experts in this document,

ACKNOWLEDGING that the document read as a whole represents an ideal which Member States should strive to reach, but that the implementation of any of these principles and measures is a step in the right direction,

AGREES to adopt the "Global standards to combat corruption in police forces/services" appended to Report No. 10 as standards whose endorsement and implementation by police throughout the world would improve the quality of police and the quality of the service they provide. Member countries are therefore encouraged to disseminate these global standards as widely as possible within their police forces/services.

Adopted

GLOBAL STANDARDS TO COMBAT CORRUPTION IN POLICE FORCES/SERVICES
Appendix

Article 1

Objectives

(a) To ensure that the police forces/services of each Member State of Interpol have high standards of honesty, integrity and ethical behaviour in and in connection with the performance of their policing functions.

(b) To promote and strengthen the development by each Member State of Interpol of measures needed to prevent, detect, punish and eradicate corruption in the police forces/services within its national boundaries and to bring to justice police officers and other employees of police forces/services who are corrupt.

Article 2

Definitions

Corruption includes:

(c) The solicitation or acceptance, whether directly or indirectly, by a police officer or other employee of a police force/service of any money, article of value, gift, favour, promise, reward or advantage, whether for himself/herself or for any person, group or entity, in return for any act or omission already done or omitted or to be done or omitted in the future in or in connection with the performance of any function of or connected with policing.

(d) The offering or granting, whether directly or indirectly, to a police officer or other employee of a police force/service of any money, article of value, gift, favour, promise, reward or advantage for the police officer or other employee or for any person, group or entity in return for any act or omission already done or omitted or to be done or omitted in the future in or in connection with the performance of any function of or connected with policing.

(e) Any act or omission in the discharge of duties by a police officer or other employee of a police force/service which may improperly expose any person to a charge or conviction for a criminal offence or may improperly assist in a person not being charged with or being acquitted of a criminal offence.

(f) The unauthorized dissemination of confidential or restricted police information whether for reward or otherwise.

(g) Any act or omission in the discharge of duties by a police officer or other employee of a police force/service for the purpose of obtaining any money, article of value, gift, favour, promise, reward or advantage for himself/herself or any other person, group or entity.

(h) Any act or omission which constitutes corruption under a law of the Member State.

(i) Participation as a principal, co-principal, initiator, instigator, accomplice, accessory before the fact, accessory after the fact, conspirator or in any other manner in the commission or attempted commission of any act referred to in the preceding provisions of this Article.

Police force/service means each police force or police service or other official body with a responsibility to perform policing functions within the national boundaries of the Member State.

Article 3

Principles

(a) To make corruption within police forces/services a high-risk crime.

(b) To promote and maintain a high standard of honesty, integrity and ethical behaviour within the police forces/services of each Member.

(c) To foster the recruitment and training as police officers of persons of high levels of integrity, honesty, ethical standards and expertise.

Article 4

Measures

4. Each member of the General Assembly commits to:

Standards of Conduct

4.1 Establishing and maintaining high standards of conduct for the honest, ethical and effective performance of policing functions.

4.1.1 Such standards should mandate and be directed towards an understanding and application of honest, ethical and appropriate behaviour, the avoidance of conflicts of interest, the proper use of public resources in and in connection with the fair and impartial application of the law, the performance of policing functions, the reporting of acts of corruption in and in connection with and the performance of policing functions and the establishment and strengthening of public confidence in police officers and police forces/services as part of the system of justice.

4.1.2 Such standards should accept that it is an obligation of the police force/service to seek out and effectively deal with corruption within the police force/service.
4.1.3 Such standards should impose an obligation on police officers and other employees of a police force/service to report to the appropriate person or authority acts or omissions, which constitute or may constitute corruption within the police force/service.
4.2 Setting up and maintaining effective mechanisms to oversee and enforce the high standards of conduct required in and in connection with the performance of policing functions;

Recruitment, posting, promotion and termination

4.3 Having and maintaining effective systems for the recruitment of police officers of high levels of integrity, honesty, ethical standards and expertise;
4.4 Ensuring that the systems for recruitment, posting, promotion and termination of police officers and other employees of the police forces/services are not arbitrary but are based on fairness, openness, ability and performance;

Training
4.5 Having a system for instructing police officers and others engaged in and in connection with the performance of policing function of the standards and ethical rules applicable to the performance of such functions;

4.6 Having and maintaining a system for the training, including on-going training, of police officers and other employees in the police forces/services which reinforces the high standards of conduct referred to in Article 4.1;

Corruption
4.7 Putting in place deterrents to the bribery of those performing or engaged in or in connection with the performance of policing functions;
4.8 Using their best endeavours to ensure that the mechanisms and systems for the prevention, detection, punishment and eradication of corruption in and in connection with the performance of policing functions in its police forces/services are kept abreast of current practice as recognized by the General Assembly of Interpol;
4.9 Having an effective system that obliges police officers and other employees of the police forces/services to report, enables them and members of civil society to report corruption and that protects those who report corruption in good faith;

4.10 Establishing mechanisms to encourage participation by civil society in activities and efforts to prevent corruption in the police forces/services;
4.11 Establishing and enforcing procedures for the declaration and registration of the income, assets and liabilities of those who perform policing functions and of appropriate members of their families;

Systems
4.12 Having and maintaining systems of revenue collection, money and property handling and for the control and preservation of evidence that ensure that those collecting or handling public money, dealing with evidence or handling property are accountable and that the systems are such as to deter corruption;
4.13 Having and maintaining systems for the procurement of goods and services that are based on openness, efficiency, equity and certainty of the rules to be applied and that seek the best value for money;

Monitoring
4.14 Establishing a mechanism such as an oversight body or bodies to monitor the systems and measures established for preventing, detecting, punishing and eradicating corruption within the police forces/services and the adequacy, application and effectiveness of such systems and measures;
4.15 Conferring or causing to be conferred on a designated authority, whether internal or external, such powers to carry out investigations and bring to justice without fear or favour, affection or ill will those who engage in corruption and dishonesty in the course of or associated with the carrying out of policing functions and adequately resourcing and funding such authority;

4.16 Providing for a system for the recruitment of officers for such designated authority who are of high integrity and that ensures that such officers are not disadvantaged by recruitment to any such designated authority;
4.17 Providing adequate safeguards to prevent abuse of powers by those engaged in the anti-corruption system and to minimize unnecessary infringements of individual rights;
Review, reporting and research

4.18 Requiring public reporting at least once each year of the work and findings in relation to the monitoring of the systems and measures referred to in Article 4.14 and their adequacy, application and effectiveness;

4.19 On-going research in relation to current best practice for the prevention, detection, punishment and eradication of corruption in and in connection with the performance of policing functions;

4.20 Reviewing at appropriate and regular intervals the measures and systems for the prevention, detection, punishment and eradication of corruption in and in connection with the performance of policing functions;
General
4.21 Making corruption by a police officer or other employee of a police force/service a serious criminal offence;

4.22 Having legislation enacted to allow the proceeds of corruption and related crimes to be forfeited;
4.23 Bringing into being or causing to be brought into being such legislative, administrative and other measures as may be necessary to prevent, detect, punish and eradicate corruption in the police forces/services;
4.24 Taking all practicable steps to ensure that the rates of remuneration for police officers and other employees of the police forces/services are such as to enable them and their families to maintain a reasonable standard of living without having to resort to other employment or to corruption;
General Assembly
4.25 Reporting at least once each two years, or at such shorter intervals as the General Assembly may resolve, on the measures taken and the mechanisms and systems in place to implement the standards set out in this protocol and the effectiveness of such mechanisms, systems and measures;
4.26 Permitting the monitoring by, and co-operating with, such person or persons as may be appointed by the Secretary General for the purpose of monitoring the mechanisms, systems and measures in place in relation to its police forces/services to achieve the objective and meet the standards referred to in this protocol and the effectiveness of such mechanisms, systems and measures.

Article 5

Review

The operation of this protocol shall be reviewed by the General Secretariat of Interpol on an ongoing basis and shall be the subject of a report to each session of the General Assembly that is held after the expiration of two years from the adoption of this protocol.

Law Enforcement Cracks Down on Public Corruption
News Channel 5
Posted: 1/25/2006 10:04:00 PM
Updated: 1/26/2006 7:35:11 AM

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"Operation Crooked Highway" is just one of the latest crackdowns on public corruption. Operation Tarnished Shield broke last year, involving police officers arrested on charges involving drug and money laundering.

Prosecutors believe that scheme racked up thousands of dollars, and then theres the most prominent case of public corruption, Operation Tennessee Waltz.

Five current or former lawmakers were charged with taking bribes in exchange for votes on fake legislation.

Law enforcement officials said these are all sad examples of the same crimes, and the only thing that changes are the people involved.

If you're listening to me, and you are involved in corrupt activities, be it political corruption, law enforcement corruption, or the type of corruption we are seeing today, the eyes of law enforcement are upon you. The next knock you hear may very well be at your back door, said Special Agent My Harrison.

Law enforcement officials said the combination of agencies working together makes these public corruption cases more efficient, so they are able to take on more cases and uncover more corruption.

Federal agents converged on the drivers license testing center in Murfreesboro Wednesday, seizing property and making arrests. It was the culmination of an 18 month long joint investigation.

The raid seemed to catch everyone off guard.

Those charged are Bryan Guess, the owner of the Winchester Driving School, Bruce Conklin, a state driver license examiner, Teresa Jones, a former driver license worker, also Shelia Robertson, Shun Gao, who is also known as Gordon, and Syed Abbas Parvez.

Investigators say the scam involved many others, mostly illegal aliens.

This afternoon, in addition to the six individuals who were named in the indictment, ICE took into custody 50 undocumented aliens who as of this afternoon will be placed into deportation proceedings, said Rick Crocker with the FBI.

The indictment alleges that while working for the Department of Safety, Conklin and Jones accepted bribes from the driving school. In return, investigators said the school took payments from illegal aliens who would then receive driver licenses or certificates without any training or tests.

Officials said they are still trying to determine how many people obtained the fraudulent driver licenses. They are unsure of the number, but admit it could be well into the thousands.