The Joint Investigation Teams (JIT) concept was developed as the joint EU response to the need for strengthened cross-border cooperation involving police, customs, border guards, and judicial authorities in different EU Member States. The presentation of this instrument of systematic operational cooperation to entities’ and state-level police and prosecutors was organised from 15 to 17 October by the EU Support to Law Enforcement Project.
“Complex cases require complex cooperation – within the country and beyond. The JITs are the best examples how to cooperate with different police bodies, judicial and financial institution on a crime investigation. The CoE Convention and protocols signed by BiH provides a legal basis to become a part of JIT,” noted Gyula Radi, Long Term Expert.
If access to data is the lifeblood of investigation and analysis is what allows targeting organised crime groups, then the JITs are the instruments for achieving operational cooperation. “We believe that this model can be used in BiH as added value in investigations within the country and in the development of international cooperation in criminal matters in general. This requires stepping up operational cooperation from an informal ad hoc basis to an organised and systematic manner,” said Severin Strohal, Head of Operations Section for Justice and Home Affairs, Public Administration Reform, at the EU Delegation to BiH.
Although BiH is not a member of the European Police College (CEPOL), its methodology developed for the EU Member States was used in the training. As the EU Agency, CEPOL’s mission is to encourage cross-border cooperation in the fight against crime by organising training activities and research findings. “We expect a fact finding mission from CEPOL officials in December and hope it will lead to signing a working agreement. The advantages that this would offer are manifold: from participating in different education and training programmes, establishing professional contacts with the EU colleagues to exchanging best practices and experience,” concluded Radi.
The EU Support to Law Enforcement Project is funded by the EU in the amount of 7 Million EUR, from the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA 2010). The project has started on 2 May 2012 and it will continue until 30 April 2014. The project consortium partners include the Ministries of Interior of the Republic of Austria, Republic of Slovenia, Hungary and of the Land Brandenburg of the Federal Republic of Germany, as well as the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), and Transparency International BiH (as an Associate). Beneficiary partners are BiH law enforcement agencies at state, entity, cantonal and Brčko District level.
