This week, from 26 to 27 November, the Latvian State Police organized an international “Operational meeting of heads of the homicide investigation units of the Member States of the European Union” in Riga. It brought together 65 participants from various European Union countries, Europol, including cooperation partners from third countries in Europe and the USA, as well as liaison officers of foreign police forces in Latvia and officials of the State Police.
At the initiative of Latvia, the operational meeting of the heads of the international homicide investigation units is organised for the third time. The main theme of this year's operational meeting on organised crime and cross-border killings is tactical and innovative solutions to prevent and detect cross-border killings.
Organized crime takes many forms and its nature and the relationships between criminals within and across organized crime groups often lead to violence and homicides. Such crimes pose a direct threat to public safety, as murder is frequently used as a means to achieve specific goals and to intimidate opponents, witnesses, or entire communities.
The investigation of murders, including contract killings, has specific nuances that are best known by specialists in this field. The operational meeting therefore heard presentations from participants on innovative methods for detecting homicides, discussed recent crime trends and presented best practices. At the end of the meeting, discussions took place at the round table.
The activity is implemented within the framework of the planning period 2021-2027 of the European Union Internal Security Fund, the managing authority of which in Latvia is the Ministry of the Interior. The project is co-financed by the European Union's Internal Security Fund. The framework for implementation is 16.07.2024 - 30.06.2026.