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Police chiefs discuss information sharing

Ajit Jain in Toronto

One of the major topics of discussion at the 108th International Association of Chiefs of Police is sharing of information by different law enforcement agencies within a country and also globally.

Some American police officers attending the Toronto conference, which will conclude on Wednesday, have criticised the anti-terrorism legislation that US President George W Bush signed last week for not having a provision for information sharing.

That, however, is not the problem in India, said former director of Intelligence Bureau, M K Narayanan, who has been made an honorary member of IACP for life.

In over 100 years IACP history, only 12 people have got such a recognition, including US Secretary of State Colin Powell and former Attorney-General Janet Reno.

Narayanan said director of IB is the top police officer in India, and he could summon information from any jurisdiction in the country.

He said, "We have All India Police Service and officers are constantly rotated from one state to another."

Narayanan, however, conceded that sharing of information is extremely important, especially with the growing threat of international terrorism.

The keynote speaker at the IACP general assembly on Monday morning was FBI Director Robert Mueller, who to his dismay was named head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation only a week before September 11 'when the world was turned upside down', as he himself stated.

"All law enforcement agencies have come as one and should come as one and concerns about not giving information is unacceptable," Mueller said in no uncertain terms with 12,000 law enforcement officers from 89 countries listening attentively.

"Information sharing is must as by giving and sharing information you protect lives," he said.

US Attorney-General John Ashcroft will also address IACP general assembly.

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