November 20, 2003 -- NYPD cops will get direct access to the vast Interpol databank to determine instantly whether a suspect is a terrorist or a fugitive wanted for a crime anywhere in the world.
As part of the first pilot program in the United States, the cityâs 36,000 cops will no longer have to worry that a person they "just released was a suspected terrorist," Ronald Noble, Interpolâs general secretary, said yesterday at an anti-terrorism conference at Police Headquarters.
With the click of a mouse, the NYPD Intelligence Division will be able to retrieve complete dossiers, fingerprints, mug shots, passports and other relevant data over super-secure, encrypted phone lines linked to Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France.
Presently, cops questioning suspicious individuals must reach out to Interpol representatives in Washington - and even then, receive notification only that the suspects are wanted, but with few details.
In a related development, Noble said his databank now includes the names of people identified as members of terrorist organizations, even if they have not committed a crime.
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