English_UK Candidate for INTERPOL Secretary General_Stephen Kavanagh - Flipbook - Page 5
Stephen Kavanagh for INTERPOL Secretary General 2024: Innovation, Impact, Integrity and Inclusivity
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the policing for the 2012 London
Olympic and Paralympic Games, and
capital city infrastructure. An element
I am particularly proud of during
my Metropolitan Police career was
pioneering new anti-racism and inclusivity
initiatives to build an organisation that
was more connected to its communities
and responsive to their diverse needs.
With cybercrime developing fast,
I was asked to lead the National
Digital Intelligence and Investigations
Portfolio, coordinating national and
international digital crime cooperation,
and then to lead the UK’s National
Police Chief’s Council effort to create a
Digital Policing Portfolio. This complex
programme supported UK police
forces to transform their services,
deliver tools and build capability in
three key areas: Digital Police Contact,
Digital Investigations and Intelligence,
and Digital Criminal Justice.
As Chief Constable of Essex Police, a
large UK police force with responsibility
for a local population of 1.8 million,
I operated a budget of £320 million
and led a staff of over 5,000. Under
my leadership, I turned a poor
performing and struggling organisation
into one which had a sense of
identity, invested in its staff, and most
importantly, held the public’s trust.
Understanding the need to disrupt
and dismantle global crime business
models not just on a national or
regional level, but also internationally,
I began to expand my global portfolio.
As Senior International Policing
Advisor for a major international
private sector consultancy, I saw
the opportunity to connect law
enforcement and industry to utilise
technology, data and modernisation
tools to improve law enforcement
services and better protect the public.
INTERPOL Leadership
My role as INTERPOL’s Executive Director
of Police Services, overseeing its priority
global crime programmes, is challenging,
rewarding and provides a unique view of
global crime threats. I have witnessed firsthand INTERPOL’s remarkable, real-world
impact when we connect with countries
and their law enforcement agencies.
For example, I oversaw ‘Operation
Trigger’—INTERPOL’s largest ever
coordinated firearms operation. Alongside
member countries from Central and
South America, we tackled firearms
smuggling; resulting in over 14,000
arrests, and the seizure of over 8,000
illicit firearms and 203 tonnes of cocaine.
I also oversaw Operation LIONFISH V
across 22 countries, which resulted in a
record net of seizures of illegal drugs and
precursor chemicals totalling $770 million.
Leading the delivery of Operation
NEPTUNE IV, we tackled counterterrorism in North Africa and Southern
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