Mid-level police leaders, such as sergeants or lieutenants, have a strong influence on the perceptions, behaviours and well-being of police officers and are vitally important to the implementation and development of organisational culture, goals and objectives.

Because of the substantial impact that police leaders have on a police organisation and, ultimately, on the delivery of public safety services, police forces must have mechanisms in place to find, identify and select the best candidates for these jobs. This is achieved through promotion processes, i.e., the promotion of members of the organisation to higher ranks and higher levels of responsibility.

The promotion process in police agencies involves a combination of written tests, oral interviews and assessment centre analysis. However, this process lacks uniformity among the different police forces and there is also a lack of research on the most effective ways to carry out police promotions.

According to research published at the end of 2024, carried out by several researchers from the RAND Executive Research Forum a group of experts was convened to analyse how the police conduct promotions for intermediate positions. Through a series of interviews and workshops, the researchers identified 47 needs for improving police promotions, of which 26 were considered top priority.

These needs relate to bias, disparity and barriers in promotions, development of metrics to identify successful candidates, valid and reliable methods to evaluate candidates, training and career progression, and transparency and organisational fairness considerations.

The researchers recommend:

• Conducting quantitative and qualitative research to identify disparate barriers to promotion for qualified candidates.
• Conducting longitudinal research to identify challenges and achievements from the perspective of the candidates who went through the process.
• Developing and validating metrics to evaluate performance in all areas of work.
• Developing training experiments that evaluate different feedback models.
• Developing best practice guidance based on what effective police agencies are already doing.
• Developing educational materials, curricula and resource guides that summarise what organisations and employees need to know about employment law.
• Conducting a systematic review to identify evidence-based best practices for selecting, training and supervising evaluators and raters.

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Europol has supported the Belgian and Dutch authorities in an international operation against a telephone phishing gang that has led to the arrest of 8 suspects. On the police action day, law enforcement also carried out 17 searches at various locations in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Although the majority of the criminal activities took place in Belgium, the main perpetrators operated mainly from the Netherlands. In addition to conducting large-scale phishing campaigns and attempting to access financial data over the phone or online, the suspects also posed as police or bank staff and approached retired victims at their home.

After carrying out their criminal activities, the suspects spent all the victims’ money buying luxury watches and jewellery, and partying in designer clothes at expensive clubs. Authorities believe that the victims are located in at least 10 European countries and that the economic damage amounts to several million euros.

Belgian authorities conducted their first investigations in 2022 with the support of Europol and Eurojust. Since the main suspects were Dutch nationals, Dutch authorities opened their own investigation in 2023. A few months later, an operational task force was created to investigate the high-value targets that participated in the above-mentioned criminal activities and dismantle the gang.

During the course of the investigation, Europol brought all partners together to enable effective coordination and facilitated the exchange of information between Member States. Europol experts also provided national authorities with analytical and financial support.

Regarding this case, the Belgian and Dutch authorities have issued specific warnings to citizens.

• Do not trust correspondence purportedly from banks stating that accounts need urgent updating.

• Do not trust messages stating that phone accounts have been locked and need to be updated.

• Be careful when buying goods through second-hand sites when sellers ask for a down payment of EUR 0.001.

• Make sure that URL links begin with “https://”.

What can you do if you click on something?

• Use antivirus software on all your electronic devices.

• Make sure your security software and operating system are up to date.

• Set up unique passwords for all your online accounts.

• Think twice before clicking on any links and attachments, as criminals may be trying to phish you. When in doubt, do not click on links, open attachments or respond and certainly do not provide any financial information.

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Police authorities in Albania and Italy have dismantled a criminal drug trafficking network led by two Albanian brothers. The perpetrators are believed to be responsible for arranging drug shipments from South America to several EU member states.

Europol supported this operation, which culminated in a police action day involving the arrest of 29 suspects (27 in Italy and 2 in Albania). Investigators of the Special Anti-Corruption and Anti-Organised Crime Structure of Albania, as well as the Guardia di Finanza of Italy in Pisa and the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Florence, were supported by Europol’s money laundering experts in intercepting the criminals. On 5th November 2024, police agents raided properties in Albania, Italy, France, Spain and Romania and seized a number of criminal assets.

The criminal network was active in the wholesale distribution of drugs in the EU. The illicit drugs were hidden in containers mixed with exotic fruits on ships arriving in European ports from South America. Upon arrival, the recovery teams removed the drugs from the containers and sold them to other criminal networks. The value of the drugs seized during the operation is estimated at 70 million euros.

Since the beginning of the investigation in November 2021 and up to the action day, some members had been arrested while actively committing crimes. During the same period, more than 2000 kg of cocaine, 20 kg of marijuana and 46 kg of hashish have been seized. The drug shipments would come from South America to the EU, where local cells of the criminal network would pick them up and distribute them. To launder illicit proceeds, the criminals had set up an elaborate money laundering system.

Europol’s money laundering experts supported this international investigation from day one. By cross-checking the data provided by the national researchers, a specialist and an analyst found a link between the ongoing investigations, thus completing the intelligence picture. This made it possible to launch an operational meeting, which led to the action day held on 5th November 2024. Apart from deploying a money laundering specialist in the coordination centre established by Eurojust, Europol also offered financial support to two Italian investigators who were travelling to Albania for the action day.

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Security forces in 18 countries have seized more than 14 million euros in counterfeit currency through Operation DECOY, a coordinated action by Europol led by several EU countries. This joint customs and police operation, developed under the European multidisciplinary platform against criminal threats EMPACT, aimed to disrupt the distribution of counterfeit banknotes and coins through postal services across Europe.

During the operational phase, 174 packages containing counterfeit currency were seized, leading to the initiation of 144 new police investigations into the responsible criminal networks. A total of 148,130 counterfeit items were intercepted, including 134,949-euro banknotes and coins, 9,186 British pounds, and 3,595 US dollars.

The vast majority of the confiscated items were altered-design banknotes. These reproductions have a similar shape and colour to genuine banknotes but include a small mark indicating that they are counterfeits. However, these marks are often overlooked, allowing criminals to pass them off as genuine currency.

The most frequently confiscated denominations were the 50 euro note, followed by the 20 euro note.

The success of Operation DECOY was based on close collaboration between customs authorities and the police. Criminal organisations often exploit differences between law enforcement authorities, especially when they use postal services to distribute counterfeit currency. Customs officers were instrumental in detecting counterfeit bills and coins, while law enforcement agencies conducted the necessary investigations to locate the perpetrators.

This collaborative approach ensured that counterfeit currency was intercepted at key entry points and wide-ranging investigations were launched to pursue the organised crime groups that operate without respite.

The operation involved Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Europol and OLAF supported the operation by facilitating the exchange of intelligence, helping to detect suspicious packages, and refining risk indicators for future efforts to combat the distribution of counterfeit currency.

EMPACT addresses the most significant threats from serious and organised international crime affecting the Union. EMPACT strengthens intelligence, strategic and operational cooperation between national authorities, EU institutions and bodies and international partners. EMPACT is carried out in four-year cycles focusing on the European Union’s common crime priorities.

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To commemorate the 30th anniversary of its creation, the COPS Office invited community members, police leaders, public safety research, and civil rights advocates to contemplate the next 30 years in American policing.

This publication compiles essays from contributors of various ranks within law enforcement, as well as researchers and civil rights leaders, all of whom touch on one or more principles of community policing (organisational changes, problem-solving, or partnerships) and give varied but ultimately optimistic predictions for the future.

As they reflect on the 30 years of work and influence of the COPS Office, they study where law enforcement is headed, especially with a desire to continue supporting the communities they serve.

Collaborators discussed topics such as technology, community involvement, crime reduction, approaches, training, accountability, and transparency. Some of the collaborators imagined drastic changes in the future, while others foresaw more subtle improvements to policing.

Most reflections on the future converged on the importance of technology and the need to adopt policies and procedures that balance privacy and responsibility. And regarding the principles of community policing, topics such as organisational changes, problem-solving, and partnerships were addressed.

Problem-solving techniques and strategies should be integrated with evidence-based practices. Data identification, collection, cleaning, and analysis should be part of the techniques and strategies employed.

Among the collaborators are teachers, community leaders, or retired police chiefs, among others. For example, Office Manager Barney Malekian speaks about improving by changing approaches and enhancing the role of communication centres, while professors Tamara Herold and Jerry Ratcliffe emphasise the need for evidence-based approaches.

Retired police chief Billy Grogan and founder of the Future Policing Institute, Jim Bueermann, contrast problem-solving approaches in law enforcement with the use of technology. Meanwhile, executive Mark Hackel discusses a problem-solving approach to addressing people with mental illness.

Meaningful associations and relationships are fundamental to law enforcement. Collaboration should include all stakeholders from the community and be active, sustained by regular communication and commitment.

The Director of the Arizona Department of Public Security, Jeffrey Glover, explains the value of collaborations and building trust to address the complexity of society.

From the COPS Office, we invite you to join this exploration journey of where policing could be in the next 30 years, categorising the themes into problem-solving, partnerships, and organisational transformation.

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A report recently published by the Europol Innovation Lab explores the ways in which artificial intelligence (AI) can revolutionise policing strategies. By leveraging AI’s advanced capabilities, law enforcement agencies can process large data sets more efficiently, improving their ability to detect and counter criminal activity. AI tools can make decision-making processes more streamlined at both the operational and strategic levels, allowing authorities to better identify and address criminal threats at their core.

The report also takes an in-depth look into the implications of the recently passed EU artificial intelligence law, which imposes regulations on the use of artificial intelligence by law enforcement. Key provisions include a ban on particular applications such as real-time biometric identification in public spaces and strict oversight of high-risk AI systems.

The paper stresses that the benefits of AI must be carefully weighed against the potential risks to ensure fairness, transparency and privacy protection. Close collaboration between law enforcement agencies, technology developers and policy makers will be essential for the ethical and effective deployment of AI.

Main conclusions of the report:

– Improved law enforcement capabilities – AI technologies can significantly enhance police operations, from advanced data analytics to biometric systems.

– Improved operational efficiency: AI’s ability to handle large data sets and use language processing can streamline workflows while complying with privacy standards.

– Real-time insights in crisis situations: AI tools can quickly analyse unstructured data, providing crucial insights for decision-making in emergency situations.

– International cooperation: AI-driven tools such as machine translation are crucial for seamless international collaboration in cross-border investigations.

– Technical infrastructure and expertise: the successful development and deployment of AI in policing requires a solid technological infrastructure and specialised expertise.

– Overcoming legal and ethical challenges: integrating AI responsibly requires navigating complex legal frameworks, ensuring accountability, transparency and protection of civil liberties.

– Bias mitigation and training: comprehensive training programs and measures to tackle bias in AI systems are essential to promote fairness, justice and impartiality in law enforcement practices.

The Europol Innovation Lab is dedicated to identifying, promoting and developing cutting-edge solutions that enhance the operational capabilities of the European Union’s law enforcement agencies. By harnessing new technologies, the Innovation Lab helps researchers and analysts work more efficiently, reducing redundancy, fostering synergies and optimising resources.

This report is part of Europol’s ongoing efforts to highlight how digitalisation has transformed both crime and policing, especially as technology, encrypted communication and data complexity increase.

By fostering innovation and improving international collaboration, Europol is working to give law enforcement agencies the tools and knowledge to stay one step ahead of criminals exploiting digital technology.

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British Generation Z has a trust issue with the police. This assertion is derived from the conclusions of a study conducted by The Policy Institute at King’s College London, led by scholar Paolo Morini. And that is because the new British government has come to power at a time when, in the words of the Labour Party, “political trust has been destroyed”.

The findings of this research demonstrate the scope of distrust and negative attitudes toward UK institutions.

In 1990, 46% of the British public said they had confidence in Parliament. By 2022, this figure had been reduced by half, to 22%, placing the country behind many of its European neighbours, such as Germany or France.

But they are not just political institutions. Confidence has significantly decreased since the 1980s, when data collection began, for 6 of the 13 institutions with long-term trend data available.

In particular, in 1981, 86% of Britons said they had confidence in the police. This figure fell to 67% in 2022, primarily due to high-profile errors and misconduct by agents.

The United Kingdom faces a specific challenge with young people: institutional trust levels are significantly lower among Generation Z (18-25 years old) than among other generations. Trust in the police stands out again, with a 27 percentage-point difference between Generation Z and the other generations.

This is a next-generation pattern. The analysis shows that Millennials and Generation X Brits in previous surveys did not have such low figures regarding police trust.

What could explain this dynamic among the Generation Z population in Britain? Personal experience is likely to be key. Government data show that, in 2022, two-thirds of all arrests and police searches involved individuals between the ages of 10 and 29. This is a fairly similar match to the current age group of Generation Z.

The recent conclusions of a national survey, as reported by the Youth Panel on police surveillance, indicate that young people, particularly those from minority ethnic communities and the LGBTQ+ community, did not feel heard, taken seriously, or treated fairly by the police.

Generation Z is likely to form impressions about the police as well, based on what they see on social media. At a formative stage in their lives, this generation was heavily exposed to coverage of high-profile police misconduct around the world and became more engaged with movements originating in the United States, such as Black Lives Matter and Defund the Police.

Funding cuts over the past 14 years have resulted in a reduced police presence in many communities in the UK. This has created a void for younger generations and a lack of opportunities for police to build trust.

The government and police should focus on improving training standards so that social interactions with the police, including arrests and searches, are more positive. Evidence shows that perceptions of procedural justice, or the feeling that the police act fairly, can also impact confidence in the police.

Without public trust, the fundamental principle of UK policing – surveillance by consent – cannot survive. The police only obtain their authority through the trust and cooperation of the society they serve. That is why it is vital for the new government to act to resolve it.

With stronger and more engaged communities, and a more systematic evaluation of the good practices already in place across the country, the United Kingdom can begin to regain confidence in the police. But the government and the police must act quickly and decisively, or risk having low levels of trust take root among British young people for their entire lives.

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European law enforcement joined forces with the private sector to combat criminals’ abuse of a security tool that they were using to infiltrate the computer systems of the victims.

During a week of police action coordinated from the headquarters of Europol, between 24 and 28 June of this year, older and unlicensed versions of the Cobalt Strike teaming tool were targeted.

Throughout this week, law enforcement agencies marked known IP addresses associated with criminal activities, as well as a series of domain names used by criminal groups, so that online service providers can disable unlicensed versions of the tool. A total of 690 IP addresses were pointed out to online service providers in 27 countries.

Known as Operation MORPHEUS, this investigation was led by the UK’s National Crime Agency and involved police authorities from Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and the United States. Europol organised the international activity and liaised with the private partners. This offensive marks the culmination of a complex investigation launched in 2021.

Cobalt Strike is a popular commercial tool provided by the cybersecurity software company Fortra. It is designed to assist bona fide cybersecurity experts in carrying out attack simulations that identify vulnerabilities in security operations and incident responses.

However, in the wrong hands, unlicensed copies of Cobalt Strike can provide a malicious actor with a wide range of attack capabilities.

Fortra has taken big steps to prevent the abuse of its software and has collaborated with law enforcement during this investigation to protect the legitimate use of its tools. However, in rare circumstances, criminals have stolen previous versions of Cobalt Strike, creating copies to gain unauthorised access to machines through the backdoor and deploy malicious software. These unlicensed versions of the tool have been linked to various malware and ransomware investigations, including those of Ryuk, Trickbot, and Conti.

Cooperation with the private sector was crucial to the success of that European police initiative. Various private industry partners supported the action, including BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, Trellix, Spamhaus, abuse.ch, and The Shadowserver Foundation. These partners deployed enhanced scanning, telemetry, and analytics capabilities to help identify malicious activities and cybercriminals’ use.

This new approach is made possible by the amended Europol Regulation, which has strengthened the Agency’s ability to provide enhanced support to EU Member States, including by collaborating with the private sector. With this new approach, Europol can access real-time threat information and a broader perspective on cybercriminal tactics. This association allows for a more coordinated and holistic response, thereby ultimately enhancing the overall resilience of the digital ecosystem throughout Europe.

Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) has been supporting this case since September 2021 by providing analytical and forensic assistance and allowing for the exchange of information among all partners.

Law enforcement used a platform to share malware information, to allow the private sector to share threat information in real time with law enforcement. During the entire investigation, more than 730 pieces of threat intelligence containing nearly 1.2 million compromise indicators were shared.

Additionally, Europol’s EC3 organised more than 40 coordination meetings between law enforcement and private partners. During the action week, Europol established a virtual command post to coordinate global police actions.

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In a recently published research paper, Europol sounds all the alarms about how privacy-enhancing technologies (PET) used in Home Routing pose a serious challenge to the lawful interception of information in the context of judicial and law enforcement investigations.

The document delves into the problems that Home Routing creates for law enforcement in the exercise of their duties, as well as the fact that it presents possible ways to safeguard and maintain the ability of police to protect citizens and investigate criminals.

Home Routing makes it possible for a telecommunications service provider to provide a service to a customer when travelling abroad. This means that when a customer travels around the world, their communications (calls, messages and data) are still processed through their home network rather than the network of the country they are visiting.

Consequently, this means that the overseas service provider cannot hand over communication data to law enforcement upon a judicial request, if the domestic service provided has enabled PET in Home Routing.

Once Home Routing is implemented, any suspect using a foreign SIM card can no longer be intercepted. This problem arises both when a foreigner uses their own (foreign) SIM card in another country, and when citizens or residents use a foreign SIM card in their own country. The only current exception to this is when a domestic service provider (to whom domestic interception orders can be sent) has a collaboration agreement in place that disables PET in Home Routing with the service provider in another country.

Criminals are aware of this loophole and have been abusing it to evade law enforcement. This creates an unequal balance between malicious actors and law enforcement, whose capabilities at the moment do not allow them to carry out the duties that society has entrusted to them.

In the case of Home Routing, a national interception order cannot be enforced across borders. Instead, a European Investigation Order can be issued, although a response can take up to 120 days, a period that becomes too long when an emergency interception is needed. Furthermore, it is not desirable to rely on the voluntary cooperation of a foreign service provider for the exercise of domestic investigative powers.

With this position paper, Europol wants to open the debate on this technical issue, which currently severely hampers law enforcement’s ability to access vital evidence.

A solution must be found that allows a country’s authorities to lawfully intercept a suspect’s communications within their territory without disproportionately impeding secure communications.

The document provides key elements to be considered as part of the company’s response, taking into account operational, technical, privacy and policy aspects.

This document is part of a series of Europol publications that are instrumental in anticipating technological innovations and resulting changes in the security landscape.

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These days have resulted in a week of police action against child sexual abuse, with a global team of 32 investigators analysing data from tens of thousands of images and videos collected from operations against producers and distributors of child sexual exploitation material and carried out through live-streaming platforms.

Between 24 and 28 June 2024, Europol organised an operational action targeting purchasers of live distant child abuse material. The police offensive brought together representatives from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States. During the operation, 32 investigators processed and developed leads generated from US Homeland Security Investigations (U.S. HSI) into criminal networks sexually exploiting children in the Philippines. The investigators analysed tens of thousands of images and videos of child sexual exploitation, along with more than 10 million lines of online conversations between approximately 12,000 unique criminal customer accounts and 100 vendor accounts. The operation resulted in the production of information packages, which may lead national authorities in 24 countries to 197 live distant child abuse buyers.

The information analysed during the police action days comes specifically from operations against those who produce and distribute child sexual exploitation material through live-streaming platforms. The operation allowed investigators to learn and collaborate in person, turning raw data into useful information in real time.

The investigators that were present during the operation worked with large volumes of data, which were generated over 12 years. As each criminal buyer and trafficker is arrested, their digital footprint, such as chats, transaction data, location data and IP addresses, is used to investigate more trafficking networks and rescue more victims. Europol’s week-long operational sprint aimed to identify criminal buyers from around the world who use live-streaming platforms to pay traffickers to abuse children. Some abused children are believed to be between three and four years old.

Live-streamed child sexual abuse is a growing industry, involving child traffickers in the Philippines and elsewhere who cater to a verified customer base of buyers who pay to watch live child abuse. Criminal buyers direct child traffickers to perform acts of sexual abuse on underage children in real time during private webcam interactions. Customers also travel to the Philippines to participate in the hands-on abuse of victimised children. Abuse occurs over encrypted connections, leaving little digital evidence, which created serious difficulties for investigators targeting online child abuse.

With traffickers and victims in one country and criminal buyers living all over the world, cooperation between national authorities is essential to combat online child abuse. Europol hosted the operation at its headquarters in The Hague, facilitated the exchange of information and provided analytical support.

U.S. HSI operations have been supported by the Child Rescue Coalition, the Tim Tebow Foundation and the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.

State authorities involved:

EU member states: Criminal Intelligence Service Austria (Bundeskriminalamt), Belgium: Police Fédérale, France: Police Nationale, Germany: Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt), The Netherlands: National Police (Politie), Sweden: Swedish Police Authority (Polismyndigheten), Denmark: Danish Police (Politi)

Non-EU member states: Norway: National Police (Politiet), United Kingdom: Metropolitan Police, North Umbria Police, West Midlands Police and The United States: Homeland Security Investigations.

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