The demand of time: Focus on the analytical capacity of the Law Enforcement Agencies and Border Services in the Region

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime(UNODC) with support from the Japanese Government works to strengthen the analytical capacity of law enforcement agencies and border services to respond to the actual threats of illicit drug trafficking and border security. The importance of comprehensive data analysis is indisputably a key component to support effective and efficient law enforcement activities.

UNODC together with partners such as Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC) and Turkish International Academy against Drugs and Organized Crime (TADOC) who possess a significant wealth of expertise on the collection, storage, protection, analysis and exchange of information in the field of combating illicit drug trafficking, conduct capacity-building activities across the Central Asian States.

Kazakhstan 

This week UNODC organized a five-day training on “Methods of data analysis and processing with the use of different analytical tools” for eleven border officers of the Situation Center of the Border Service of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The goal of this training was to equip the border officers with new knowledge and skills on information processing, analysis and visualization with the help of various analytical software tools. The expert trainers from CARICC and UNODC shared their expertise in the application of analytical software such as Excel, ArcGIS, IBM “i2” for collection, analysis and systematization of data. Last year three training courses of the series were held and received positive feedback. This year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been adapted for the online format.

His Excellency, Mr. Tatsuhiko Kasai, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of Kazakhstan, who joined the opening ceremony via video conference, noted, “The work of the Border guards is important in ensuring the protection of the borders and prevention against illegal practices and crime including the smuggling of drugs. The enhancement of the competencies of the border officers and regional cooperation between the Border Guards of the Central Asian states has a critical role. This training, held during the pandemic period, in a new online format, despite all challenges, gives us an advantage in involving more participants, and I hope that this training will be useful for border officers in their daily activities.”

Colonel Igor Cherepkov, Head of Department of the Border Service of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in his turn, expressed gratitude on behalf of the management of the Border Service of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Border Cooperation Component of the UNODC Programme for Central Asia and Government of Japan for organizing such specialized training courses which contribute to self-education and professional self-development of the border officers. He said, “This is already the 4th analytical training of the series in the last two years and border officers-analysts are actively using gained knowledge and skills in their daily activities.” In light of achieved positive outcomes, Mr. Cherepkov suggested considering the possibility of holding monthly training sessions, and additionally, developing a special video course for border officers that could be included in online training modules.

Parties agreed to work on creating a pool of national analyst trainers to meet the increasing demand of the Border Service of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Tajikistan and Uzbekistan

This week, UNODC also organized a five-day training course on “Processing and analysis of information with the use of IBM ‘i2’ software application” delivered by the Turkish International Academy against Drugs and Organized Crime (TADOC) experts for 13 mid-level officers from drug control agencies, customs services and border troops of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The course aimed to enhance the trainees’ intelligence analysis skills and train them to use IBM “i2” analytical software.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Yusuf Kurbonov, UNODC International Programme Coordinator, commended successful cooperation established with TADOC in jointly organizing capacity-building training workshops. “TADOC is a key partner for us. Since 2005 we have been jointly conducting a series of training courses for law enforcement agencies with TADOC. Under our dozens of initiatives, we have enhanced the competence of thousands of law enforcement officers from Central Asian countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan. We will continue our fruitful cooperation,” he noted.

UNODC also thanked the Government of Japan’s immense contribution to the implementation of the UNODC’s initiatives aimed at strengthening peace and security in the region emphasizing that their continuous support through the years has been significant for UNODC to accomplish its mission in the region.

The trainees had a chance to learn about crime intelligence analysis methods, information source assessment, data analysis and visualization, databases development and management, effective use of integrated data sources, geographical information systems, data analysis from vehicle registration number recognition systems, telephone logs analysis, crime and offender profiling, risk analysis with modeling, and open sources analysis amongst others.

The course also involved practical sessions for participants to acquire practical skills on the subject matter.

“It is very important for me to take part in this training and acquire the necessary knowledge and enhance my skills in intelligence analysis. I want to thank UNODC for arranging this training,” said an officer from the Drug Control Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.

After the training, the participants shared their feedback:

"We thank UNODC for organizing this training. It was very informative and interactive. The knowledge and skills our officers acquired at the training will help them in their service," said a representative from the Border Troops of the Republic of Tajikistan.

"During the course, we received valuable information which will facilitate our challenging work. We are thankful to the organizers of the course and the trainers," said a representative of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Results in 2019 and plans for 2021

Since 2019 similar courses reached 56 border officers in Kazakhstan, 16 border officers in Kyrgyzstan, 8 law enforcement officers in Tajikistan, and 14 law enforcement officers in Uzbekistan.

As Mr. Yusuf Kurbonov, UNODC International Programme Coordinator, highlighted, “These events are organized within the framework of Border Cooperation Component of Sub-programme 1 ‘Countering transnational organized crime, illicit drug trafficking and preventing terrorism’ of the UNODC Programme for Central Asia with financial support from the Government of Japan for the establishment of border liaison offices (BLOs) and enhancement of information-communication systems between Border Guards of the Central Asian States. Many more specialized training events and technical assistance measures are planned for the rest of 2020 and 2021 which will be duly implemented with the support from national partners.”

 

Эта статья на русском.

Additional information:

Shakhnoza Zafari,

Communication and External Relations Officer

UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia (Tashkent)

Mobile: +998935547895

E-mail: shakhnoza.zafari[at]un.org

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Nurangez Abdulhamidova,

Communication and External Relations Officer

UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia (Dushanbe)

Email: nurangez.abdulhamidova[at]un.org