An international study visit to Madrid and Algeciras, Spain was held between November 26-December 03, 2022 under the auspices of the Multi-Country Cross-Border Security Programme in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Haiti (MCBS) and the EU funded SEACOP project.
The MCBS programme is also financed by the European Union and implemented by the FIIAPP to support law enforcement agencies from the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica.
A total of seven participants, comprising three Jamaicans, selected from the SEACOP Maritime Intelligence Unit and four Dominicans were hosted during this study visit. The Jamaican Maritime Intelligence Unit, supported by SEACOP, has identified many synergies with the MCBS since its establishment.
The group of law enforcement representatives from customs, police, immigration and the military, was exposed to Spanish maritime intelligence through visits to Maritime Intelligence Units, schools/academies and southern port operations. This included field tips to Algeciras and Cadiz Ports and a visit to Spanish National Police where they were met by three commanding officers who introduced their structures, systems and processes to the team.
The Comisaria General Policia Cientifica/Scientific Police in Spain is also attached to the National Police and whilst previously exposed to their roles and functions from a previous joint MCBS/SEACOP event in the Dominican Republic, the visit to the unit gave a better understanding of the functions and their true capacity.
The importance of a coordinated approach to border management in Europe
During the visit, the Spanish representatives highlighted that Frontex is one of the most widely used systems by the National Police. The system was designed by the European Union (EU) to promote a coordinated approach to border management across member states of the EU in line with its defined fundamental rights. This system also allows for the integrated sharing of information and alerts on suspects which allows member states to have easy access to this data.
The SEACOP MIU officers were grateful for the experience, exposure and knowledge that they have taken away from this internship. The network that was created among the countries will inevitably produce the expected returns as it has expanded the avenue to share useful information. They will certainly utilise the knowledge gained by improving the standard of their work as well as sharing this knowledge with the other members of both our regional SEACOP intelligence network and Jamaica Customs Agency at large.
Picture © ESPO – The European Sea Ports Organisation
