Crime Stoppers Australia Conference 2006
Topic: ‘The value of Crime Stoppers from an international and national perspective.’
Address by Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty APM
25 July 2006
- Commissioner Bob Atkinson - QPS
- Mr Steve Walrath - President Crime Stoppers International
- Mr Peter Price - Chairman Crime Stoppers Australia
- Mr Ken Martin - Chairperson Crime Stoppers Queensland Limited (Hosts)
- Police Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners and Commanders from National and International Locations
- Directors and Members of the various represented Crime Stoppers Contingents
- Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen
I would like to start by acknowledging the traditional owners of this land and those who walked before them. It is important to recognise their historical connection to the land on which we gather today.
Thank you for the opportunity to present today amongst so many of my fellow colleagues.
Thousands of years ago the question was asked ''Am I my brother's keeper?''
This is a question we could well ask today.
When it comes to security, who has the responsibility to watch out for those in our community, the public - or law enforcement agencies?
The response of course is that each has a fundamental role.
As law enforcement agencies we have a mandate to protect the security of the citizens of the communities we operate in.
And if you make a list of all the things required to protect the well-being of our citizens, you will find that many necessitate the involvement of police and law enforcement officials.
There is much the community expects from us to protect them from harm.
Events such as September 11, the Bali and London bombings, pandemics and natural disasters such as the Indian Ocean Tsunami have only highlighted the greater expectations placed upon law enforcement agencies.
The events of the past 5 years have also emphasised the importance of strong relationships and collaboration between police and the community, especially in times of crisis.
Today I want to outline for you the benefits of collaborative programs such as Crime Stoppers, not only in the interest of public accolade – but also to assist those of you in the audience who are considering the introduction of the program.
Before turning to look at key components of a collaborative strategy, I would like to touch lightly on some aspects of transnational crime, in particular terrorism, and the underlying driving forces, in order to underscore the benefits of programs of such as Crime Stoppers nationally and internationally.
Terrorism as a Transnational Crime
Relevant Australian legislation specifically identifies terrorism as a crime; in its modern form terrorism is largely a type of transnational crime.
Experience has shown that terrorists, for a range of reasons, engage in or are linked to other types of transnational crime.
It is not surprising therefore that terrorist groups use similar structures and methods of operating as other organised crime bodies. They fund their operations from illegally obtained money and conceal its trail just like any other money launderer.
Terrorists also mirror those involved in organised crime in their engagement in corruption and extortion, while using false identities, safe houses and sympathisers to disguise their presence and work towards their goals.
And as with organised crime we see the use of legitimate meetings to disguise recruitment and planning.
As we learn more about how terrorists and organised crime groups operate, it is clear they scour the globe looking for new locations in which to carry out their activities.
This includes places where they have minimal risk of being exposed and where they can operate with impunity while generating large profits or advancing the key objectives of their enterprise.
We also know from the experiences of Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, the United States and here in Australia, that terrorist groups often commit a series of crimes as a prelude to their mainstream terrorist activities.
These pre-cursor terrorist offences provide law enforcement with the opportunity to take early action to prevent incidents.
It also highlights the importance of law enforcement's engagement with the community to potentially identify criminal activities, and provide information to assist police and other agencies, utilising a conduit of programs such as the highly successful Crime Stoppers.
Collaboration – Community, Crime Stoppers
Relationships with the community have always been recognised as an essential policing tool.
Sir Robert Peel, the founder of modern policing, I think best highlights the foundations of this requirement in this policing principle:
“To maintain at all times a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and that the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen, in the interests of community welfare and existence.”
What we must understand is that terrorists do not live in isolation. They work - they eat – they shop, they could well live in a suburb near here.
This is why the community is best placed to observe suspicious activity at an early stage. As people go about their daily lives, they can observe things that are out of the ordinary in a neighbourhood or workplace.
Studies have shown that most crimes are solved because someone apprehends the offender immediately, or a bystander identifies the offender, or provides information which permits identification[1]. The challenge then, is to gather this information in a co-ordinated, productive and timely manner to ensure this information links into police Intelligence.
The National Security Hotline (NSH) is a good illustration of how this can work.
The NSH was established as a facility to receive information on possible terrorist activity. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is operated by trained and experienced advisers from a wide range of backgrounds. Last month the hotline received its 80,000th call.
Reports received from the public are immediately passed on to the relevant police or security agency. While State and Territory Police services within Australia are responsible for investigation, the AFP receives all reports for intelligence purposes, due to the potential link with national security and terrorist matters.
To June this financial year, 16,157 reports where processed. Of these, 3,030 (approximately 19%) were referred for further Intelligence assessment.
It is interesting to note that during terrorist attacks such as the London bombings, the amount of NSH reports received by the AFP increases to approximately five times the monthly average.
I think this shows that people respond when they believe the threat is real.
And we know the threat of terrorism is real - you may have read in the media recently of a police operation which we will allege prevented a terrorist plot involving people in Sydney and Melbourne.
This matter is still before the courts so I need to be mindful about what I can say in this public forum.
However another recent event, which I can discuss in more detail, is the London bombings.
London bombings
The London bombings are a reminder that terrorism continues to infiltrate all levels of society regardless and geography. No country is immune.
They were the deadliest single act of terrorism in the United Kingdom since Lockerbie and the deadliest bombing in London since the Second World War.
There has been much conjecture about the failure to foresee this incident. However 12 months on, investigations around the lead up to the bombings have altered that view, and highlighted how critical the offering of information from the community can be.
Prior to the bombings there was no Intelligence that forewarned the police or Intelligence services of the pending terrorist attacks. No operational indicators, warnings or evidence that a cell was operational despite considerable operational activity. No radicalisation was seen and no evidence of training or prior experience – in short, these people were not on the radar of the police.
Without any intelligence, information from the community, or suspicious activities, the ability of law enforcement agencies to prevent the attack was significantly reduced.
Post-event investigations have shown however, that prior to the bombings, members of the community detected strange odours coming from the safe house where the bombs were being manufactured. The odour was the substance hexa-methylene-tri-peroxide-diamine (HMTD), an explosive material manufactured from hydrogen peroxide, citric acid and hexamine – this is what bystanders could smell – yet no-one reported it at the time.
This is a stark but significant example of how important community information when fed in to the appropriate channels in a timely manner can be.
This is why programs such as Crime Stoppers, which are designed for this purpose, are such an important tool.
Crime Stoppers
When Crime Stoppers began as a crime fighting concept in 1976, it founded a partnership between police, the media and the community which helped solve a murder that at the time eluded police.
Thirty years on and that notion of partnership has continued with some 1,200 Crime Stoppers programs in 20 countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, Central America and the Caribbean.
Communities around the world offer information to assist investigators to solve traditional crimes including homicides, sexual assaults, drug trafficking operations and robberies, just to name a few.
Information to Crime Stoppers has evolved to reflect new crime types. As the President of Crime Stoppers International, Steve Walrath can attest, tips received from the public now also include information to prevent criminal acts by terrorists.
Programs like Crime Stoppers have constantly shown that a well coordinated program between a committed community and responsive police can have a considerable impact on crime.
Statistics show tips to Crime Stoppers have led to an average conviction rate of 95 per cent and thousands of dollars saved in investigation time.
Accumulative figures world-wide show tips to Crime Stoppers have been responsible for the seizure of more than 5 billion dollars in illicit drugs and the recovery of more than 1 billion dollars in stolen property.
Last year in Australia alone 38,429 people where arrested for a total of over 115,000 charges. The crime value of these arrests came to almost 9 million dollars.
Similar success has occurred in the ACT where this year Crime Stoppers is celebrating 10 years in the Community. As the lead agency for community policing services in the ACT, the AFP acknowledges the importance of strong relationships between police officers and the rest of the community.
This relationship can also assist in solving crimes across borders, with information sharedby ACT Region Crime Stoppers assisting other police services in significant drug and property seizures.
For example information received by ACT Crime Stoppers was provided to NSW Police regarding the Cronulla riots in 2005, and information shared with Queensland Police assisted in the locating of a mother and child that had been reported missing for approximately 6 months.
Similarly, during the Melbourne Commonwealth Games protocols were developed by Crime Stoppers Victoria, in conjunction with Crime Stoppers Australia and Crime Stoppers International, for the provision of information relating to any risk of terrorism or other criminal activity directly related to the Games.
Members of the public within and outside Australia were able to report any suspicious information to their local Crime Stoppers which, in turn, were able to supply Crime Stoppers Victoria with the same information.
After the success of this initiative, Police in South Africa and the United Kingdom are to embark on similar projects for the 2010 World Cup Soccer tournament and 2012 London Olympic Games, respectively.
This opens the door to international application of this type of co-operation.
In areas such as the Asia-Pacific, an incredibly diverse region comprising of 53 countries and more than 60 per cent of the world’s population, this is particularly beneficial.
Crime Stoppers in the Pacific
Having worked closely with many of my Pacific colleagues in this room, I understand that policing the multitude of islands and police jurisdictions, conscious of the geographical distances, and the luxury and commercial vessels that move freely throughout the region, is very much a challenge – especially on your resources.
With crime syndicates searching for places where they have a reduced risk of being exposed, conditions such as these mean that transnational crime remains a significant threat in the Pacific.
To this end, Crime Stoppers could be an important resource.
I understand that there are currently six Pacific nations that have the Crime Stoppers program operating (Fiji, Guam, Commonwealth Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau; and Papua New Guinea).
If additional nations where to take up the Crime Stoppers program, and incorporate it into existing Intelligence networks, there are a number of significant benefits for us all.
Potential benefits in terms of increased capacity, greater understanding of global crime trends and how to recognise such trends, and the ability to recognise common law enforcement issues between neighbouring countries and across the Region.
Because as I indicated earlier, transnational crime has to start as a local crime somewhere, so the closer we work with the issues of our neighbours, the better the chance of protecting our own nation’s security.
On a broader level, a relationship between Crime Stoppers Pacific and Crime Stoppers Australia could strengthen the Intelligence network throughout the entire Region.
Collaboration on this level is essential for regional stability. This is why the AFP continues to work with the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police.
The next forum, which will be held in Palau this week, will continue to address common issues from a regional perspective and give our collective views greater weight in the international community.
International recognition and collaboration is another key tool to security in the Region.
International Liaison Network
As you would be aware, the AFP is heavily involved in working with law enforcement in the Region through our International Liaison Officers and International Deployment Groups.
The International Network is a world first, and last year received more than 7,000 tasks and lodged nearly 15,000 outgoing tasks with various overseas law enforcement agencies. The majority of these tasks related to the exchange of operational information and Intelligence
This capacity continues to foster relations and negotiate co-operative agreements between the AFP and foreign policing agencies to improve law enforcement outcomes.
Further, the AFP has worked with Pacific law enforcement agencies in the establishment of the Pacific Transnational Crime Network.
This network includes the Pacific Transnational Crime Coordination Centre which has been established in Fiji. There are also five Transnational Crime Units (TCUs) operating in PNG, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu.
It facilitates the exchange of information between 23 national Police services and TCUs. These Units have proven to be very successful.
In 2004 the Fiji TCU dismantled a large amphetamine laboratory in Suva that was capable of producing up to 500kgs of methamphetamine a week.
That job was the result of work which commenced 12 months earlier. Discussions where held with affected agencies through South East Asia and the South Pacific about the need for the Region to move on Intelligence collected in the area, and the further need to develop an appropriate targeting strategy.
Just last week, the Samoa TCU was responsible for the seizure of 800 grams of cocaine. This follows the disruption of a drug smuggling syndicate earlier this year in which police seized more than half a kilogram of white powder, a quantity of cannabis and a number of firearms.
This is a significant win for the Samoan community and I applaud the great work of the Samoan Police Service.
One of the network’s most important tasks is to promote these linkages, which as I’ve explained can be critical from an Intelligence perspective for disabling crime related activity at an early stage.
For example, the joint Bali bombing investigations led to some very important advances in Intelligence sharing and co-operation in the region, including information about the way terrorist groups operate in the Asia Pacific - this Intelligence is being used to help disrupt and dismantle their activities.
The co-operative efforts of the AFP and the INP have achieved significant results on a number of levels such as the apprehension of more than 140 alleged Jemaah Islamiyah members for terrorism related offences.
The most significant factor in the joint INP/AFP Bali investigation is the development of trust and understanding that was built on more than ten years of interaction, co-operation and mutual recognition.
This inter-agency rapport was formally recognised with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, providing a clearly mandated and effective framework for action during a time of crisis, the value of which was to be recognised shortly thereafter during the Bali and Embassy bombings.
This network has led to invitations for the AFP to play a role in numerous investigations including the bombings in Indonesia, ‘humanitarian-style’ work with Thai authorities to jointly lead the DVI process in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami, hostage negotiations in Iraq, Athens Olympics security and the London bombings.
Collaboration – Business
For the business people here today, I would like to briefly re-address the London bombings to look at the importance of collaboration with the business community.
If we look at the UK experience, engaging the private sector underpins their broader strategy to prevent and respond to terrorist activity by using private sector resources to support law enforcement resources. ‘Project Griffin’ is a prime example of this strategy.
‘Project Griffin’ enlists the help of the business community to protect London’s ‘ring of steel’, companies which produce 8 per cent of Britain’s GDP.
Companies are involved in weekly telephone hook ups to receive briefings on threat levels. These security measures are used in conjunction with the surveillance technologies (CCTV and number plate recognition systems).
In addition, security staffs from 90 companies are trained in bomb response. After the London bombings, they helped to cordon off affected areas, freeing up police to perform their emergency response duties. London now has 2000 security guards trained under the Project.
The willingness of business to increase their own security measures and work with law enforcement agencies on information exchange has significantly increased London’s security and response capacity.
This two way sharing of information increases the likelihood of intercepting possible terrorist attacks. It also aids in the improved communication of accurate information.
Meetings with business owners in Central London where organised soon after the event to discuss issues and respond to questions regarding what could have been done to assist with the emergency response.
Similar meetings with religious leaders and key community members were held as a strategy to calm the community in the prevention of 'hate' crimes, particularly against Muslim communities.
This meeting attended by 1,000 was used as a 'brainstorming' exercise facilitated by Metpol Officers to allow the community members to put forward their strategies for safer communities.
I am sure this engagement of business in the community in the early stages assisted in dissemination of correct information, gave transparency to the emergency operation, and empowered community members.
From a national perspective, the AFP has been working with business on the Commonwealth’s Business Government Advisory Group on National Security, and with members of the Trusted Information Sharing Network for Critical Infrastructure Protection (TISN).
This gives business leaders the opportunity to advise the Government on a broad range of national security issues. It also provides a forum to discuss proposed new security initiatives and developments with the business community.
The work of the BGAG complements the strategic objectives of the Critical Infrastructure Advisory Council and the Trusted Information Sharing Network (TISN).
The TISN facilitates the sharing of generic security threat and vulnerability information between corporations, government and the private sector in relation to critical infrastructure. It is a forum which collaborates on issues of common threat, vulnerability, and interdependence.
By working closely with business, we can broaden our understanding of the security risks and implications for business, and in return business can partner with law enforcement agencies to enhance the coordination of efforts to strengthen a global response to threats international security.
Conclusion
As we know, the role of law enforcement in the community is to police for the rich and the poor, the old and the young, the Christian and the Muslim, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will. We exist for the purpose to ultimately serve and protect the community.
But the protection of the community against crime, including terrorism, cannot be solved or detected without the goodwill of the community – we all have a role to play.
Complacency by business, the public and communities is a constant threat to maintaining the requisite level of vigilance to prevent and respond to crime.
It is for this reason that I believe we must continue to engage the community; programs such as Crime Stoppers offer a tool to do that.
It is important therefore that we continue to build relationships with all parts of the community to ensure a synergy which supports the fight against crime of all types. These relationships will only help to address the myriad of challenges that exist when policing in a ‘global community’.
Because the consequences of not doing everything we can as a community to respond to the potential threat of crime and terrorism is too great to contemplate.
Thank you