I527-290 ESRIF Final Report (WEB).indd - European Commission

During the post-disaster phase, after the emergency relief operation is over, work starts on further information-sharing and
sustainable recovery, with emphasis on strengthening civil society for the benefi t, safety and security of the citizens. In the case
of major operations, it is fundamental to organise lessons-learnt sessions that greatly contribute to capitalise knowledge and
to identify best-practices in preparation to other emergencies.
(See Working Group 4 report for in depth analysis of the post-disaster phase)
2. Investigation with respect to crime and terrorism
Public Private Trusted Information Exchange Models are needed for an improved exchange and sharing information across law
enforcement and intelligence agencies with private organizations and companies, with the objective of contrasting the threat
coming from terrorist and organized crime activities.
This is a result of the awareness that terrorist and organized criminal activities are not random and impossible to track. Terrorists
must plan and prepare before the execution of an attack by selecting a target, recruiting and training executors, purchasing
goods, acquiring fi nancial support and travelling to the country where the target is located, disseminating propaganda and
revendication material. In performing these activities they leave, voluntarily and/or involuntarily, traces in huge quantities
and in dispersed ways, inside diff erent public and private organizations or freely on the web, even if they attempt to hide or
disguise their identities.
By analyzing the data coming from the communications and activity patterns among potential terrorists and their contacts
it is possible to prevent attacks or crimes from occurring. Sharing the information about terrorists that is available to law
enforcement and intelligence agencies as well as to private companies (in their databases or available freely in, e.g., web
and press), and linking this data together, can help avoid their actions and disrupt their networks. Gathering and sharing
information that identifi es likely suspects is a critical issue here.
Surveillance of public areas and specifi c locations is essential for early responses to signals indicating the risk of incidents and
an adequate intervention in the event of real security obstructions. Integrated control centres with well organised support
information/intelligence have to provide the coordination of operating activities and must be able to function as crisis centres.
These control centres should be extensively equipped with automatic analysis systems and decision-making assistance
systems and systems for synchronization and reliable interaction between diff erent control- and crisis centres.
Mobile technologies for the examination of counterfeit money, bankcards and documents. This would include implementation
of artifi cial intelligence methods and agent technologies to support operational and investigative activities and evidence
procedures.
Generalise the possibility of rapid and secure transmission of data high fl ow (video, its, images, etc.) between the servers of data
of the police forces. Systematise using fi xed or mobile system for the detection of displaced vehicles used by organised crime
or terrorist organisations.
3. Forensics
Forensic science is the application of a broad range of scientifi c disciplines (e.g. biometrics, molecular biology, analytical
science, informatics…) to matters of legal signifi cance. The forensic science process is complex, involving police, scientifi c and
legal/judicial personnel. Its application relies on an eff ective relationship between lawyers, police, scientists and other forensic
specialists, and is interdependent and crosses professional, organisational and jurisdictional boundaries.
Furthermore, forensic science operates in a rapidly changing environment. New developments in technology such as DNA
analysis have altered the role of forensic science and the contribution that it makes to police investigations and criminal
prosecution. The net contribution of forensic science to criminal justice systems continues to rise and operational loads have
typically doubled in the last fi ve years. The use of technology in criminal investigations is clearly on the steep part of the
growth curve. At the same time, due to the increased possibilities of this technology, the application of forensic science has
become much wider than for the evaluation of evidence in court alone. Besides its ‘traditional’ application in the fi ght against
crime, forensic science off ers huge possibilities in information guided policing, crime prevention and security.
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