Information is crucial

Information exchange between law enforcement agencies is key. Having the right information, at the right time, and in the right place is crucial. To ensure this, fedpol uses several information systems and works with the staff of the SIRENE Office and the Operations and Alarm Centre. The Centre set a new record in 2021: it processed more incoming reports than ever before. The CODIS DNA database, the AFIS fingerprint database, the Schengen Information System (SIS) as well as the national computerised police search system RIPOL were also actively used.

In Switzerland, fedpol is the first point of contact and coordination for police authorities from all over the world. fedpol processes the reports it receives via the SIRENE (Supplementary Information Request at the National Entry) Office or through Europol, Interpol or the police attachés within the specified deadlines and manages information exchanges with international police channels.

DNA and fingerprints (incl. palm prints and edge of the hand prints) are biometric data that can be used to positively identify persons or crime scene evidence. To do this, fedpol operates the national databases CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) and AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System). fedpol receives requests from law enforcement, security and migration authorities such as police corps, the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security or the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM). Biometrics specialists from fedpol and the DNA Coordination Unit run the data they receive against the databases. This allows them to reliably and quickly identify a person or a donor of a crime scene trace – sometimes within as little as a few minutes.

RIPOL (from French: ‘recherches informatisées de la police’) is Switzerland’s computerised police search system. In addition to RIPOL, Swiss security authorities and fedpol also use the SIS (Schengen Information System). The Schengen states, including Switzerland, use the SIS as a joint system to search for persons and objects.