From 30 May 2023 until February 2024 the State Police Central Criminal Police Department Economic Crime Combatting Department (ECCD) together with the Norwegian National Economic and Environmental Crime Investigation and Criminal Prosecution Institution (ØKOKRIM) have initiated educating activities of employees of law enforcement institutions in the field of combatting the environmental crimes. The exchange of experience and training visits take place within the framework of the European Economic Area financial instrument program for the period of 2014-2021 “International Police Cooperation and Combating Crime” project No.EEZ/VP/2020/1 “Support to the State Police for Acceleration and Quality Improvement of Investigation of Economic Crimes in Latvia”, and the Latvian delegation will be represented by the officials from the State Police, State Environmental Service, Nature Conservation Agency, Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Latvia and State Border Guard.
The training was opened by the visit of the representatives of Norway to Latvia which took place from 30 May to 31 May. During the first day of the visit the participants were introduced to the main goals, basic principles and planned results of the project. The previous practice of the Latvian represented institutions, their competences, areas of activity and possibilities in combating the environmental crimes was reviewed. Special attention was paid to the legal framework. On the second day of the visit the representatives of Norway together with the ECCD representatives attended the Bolderaja island where the State Border Guard representatives in person introduced with their resources and possibilities. Then the representatives visited SIA “Getliņi EKO” to find out the assessment of the current situation in the waste management field in Latvia. At the end of the visit the representatives of Norway admitted that valuable volume of information as well as the idea for creating further contents of activities and trainings has been gained. Already during the next training stage Latvian delegation will go on the exchange of experience trip to ØKOKRIM in Norway.
Training courses will take place every month about another topic related to the environmental crimes. During two full days of the training professionals will meet to share experience about the up-to-date methods and trends in combating the crimes. Each time it is planned to train up to ten employees from different law enforcement institutions.
During several activities such topical subjects as illegal waste disposal, maintenance and management, environment pollution, damage of natural resources, animal welfare crimes, as well as fishery and aquaculture crimes, for example, illegal use of electric fishing devices, will be reviewed. The trainings will ensure great contribution to the education of the employees for more efficient prevention and combating of the environmental crimes, as well as will allow to strengthen the mutual cooperation.
This training at the moment is organized as a pilot project with the aim to develop it in the future as a project of cooperation between Norway and all Baltic states, hence reinforcing the mutual cooperation, exchange of experience and introduction of innovative solutions in the field of crime combating.
Visits will be organized within the framework of the European Economic area grant 2014-2021 programme “International Police Cooperation and Combating Crime” project No.EEZ/VP/2020/1 “Support to the State Police for increasing effectiveness and quality of economic crime investigation in Latvia”
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