Hosted by An Garda Síochána and organised in partnership with the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Lithuanian police, the conference will hear from both police and industry representatives.
Delegates from over 32 countries are gathered in Dundalk for two days this week to discuss the phenomenon of so-called tiger kidnapping and devise crime prevention strategies to tackle it.
Hosted by An Garda Síochána and organised in partnership with the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Lithuanian police, the conference will hear from both police and industry representatives with experience in this challenging area.
Opening the conference this morning (Tuesday, 1st December 2009) the Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy highlighted the critical role that partnership can play in successfully addressing and preventing business kidnapping. He said:
“An Garda Síochána has a strong commitment to partnership in working to combat these threats. We have circulated a crime prevention document entitled, “Information on the Prevention and Responding to Kidnapping or False Imprisonment”. This document is designed to inform and educate “at risk” individuals who are vulnerable to this form of crime, especially those employed in financial institutions, cash in transit service providers and major retailers.
The document provides information on what generally occurs during a kidnapping or false imprisonment. It includes advice on what to do following an incident, how to assist police investigations, crime prevention measures, and advice for employers.”
The objective of the conference, which is funded by the EU Commission and the Irish Government, is to strengthen the prevention of business kidnappings through public-private interaction and cross border co-operation and to promote the exchange of experience and best practice in crisis negotiation and to develop preventative strategies.
The full text of the Garda Commissioner’s statement is available on the Garda website – www.garda.ie
Garda Press & Public Relations Office,
1/12/09
See Full Speech Below:
Opening Address by Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy at the “Business Kidnapping” Conference –
Dundalk, Tuesday 1 December 2009
“Combating the Phenomenon of Business Kidnapping - Development of Crisis Negotiation Techniques for Law Enforcement Personnel and Crime Prevention Strategies for Vulnerable Members of Civil Society”
Good morning colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.
We are joined here this morning in Dundalk by police colleagues from across Europe as well as representatives from both the public and private sector with an interest in this area. I extend a warm welcome to all of you.
I want to acknowledge that this important event has been facilitated by the European Commission and our own Government here in Ireland. In addition I thank our partner organisations, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau for their commitment to the project.
The aims of this project are to:
• Strengthen, enhance and improve the prevention of Business Kidnappings through public-private interaction and cross-border co-operation, and
• Promote the exchange of experience and best practice in crisis management and to develop preventative strategies.
The phenomenon of business kidnapping or ‘tiger kidnapping’ as it has become known in the media is not new or unique to Ireland. It has challenged policing in many countries over many years. I am often asked where the term “tiger kidnapping” came from. Of course, as you know, it describes the prelude to the incident itself where the perpetrators engage in a predatory, tiger-like stalking of the kidnap victim and their family, often gathering intelligence and carrying out surveillance on their partner’s and children’s movements and activities.
These kidnappings can have a devastating effect on the victim and their families. They also have an adverse impact on the victim’s colleagues and workplace. There is no doubt the wider community suffers whenever organised criminals use intimidation, coercion and violence and deploy their ill gotten gains to other criminal uses. This threat to the wider society from these criminals is significant and requires partnership between law enforcement agencies and the private sector if it is to be tackled effectively.
The primary policing response to these crimes must be to protect the victim. All other concerns are secondary. Our response to this challenge requires that we must work closely to develop techniques, systems and protocols to both prevent and combat these crimes. Crime prevention measures, public awareness campaigns, staff training and agreed reporting mechanisms are vital tools in ensuring that the criminals will be unsuccessful in their endeavours.
An Garda Síochána has a strong commitment to partnership in working to combat these threats. We have circulated a crime prevention document entitled, “Information on the Prevention and Responding to Kidnapping or False Imprisonment”. This document is designed to inform and educate “at risk” individuals who are vulnerable to this form of crime, especially those employed in financial institutions, cash in transit service providers and major retailers.
The document provides information on what generally occurs during a kidnapping or false imprisonment. It includes advice on what to do following an incident, how to assist police investigations, crime prevention measures, and advice for employers.
An Garda Síochána has also developed a policy document that outlines the protocols and standard operating procedures to be observed in responding to a ‘tiger kidnap’ incident. This policy recognises the unique requirements to be factored into the formulation of a strategy and operational policing response.
Over the next two days you will hear a number of expert speakers deliver presentations on the measures adopted in many jurisdictions to deal with this phenomenon. The specialised workshops will allow all delegates to input to shaping the outcomes of the project. I encourage all of you to actively contribute to the conference and workshop discussions as your shared experiences will enhance the operational solutions which we hope this project will deliver.
I want to conclude by again thanking the conference organisers and by wishing you well in your deliberations".
