From November 26 to 27, 2024, the State Police organized in Riga an international operational meeting of heads of homicide investigation departments from European Union member states. The event brought together a total of 65 participants from various EU countries, Europol, as well as cooperation partners from third countries in Europe and the US, foreign police liaison officers in Latvia, and officials from the State Police.
At the initiative of Latvia, this international operational meeting of heads of homicide investigation departments is being organized for the third time. The main topic of this year's operational meeting on organized crime and cross-border homicides is tactical and innovative solutions to prevent and solve cross-border homicides.
Organized crime takes many forms, but the nature of these crimes, as well as the relationships between criminals within and between groups, often contribute to violence, resulting in homicides. This also poses a direct threat to the safety of members of the general public, as homicides are often used as a means to achieve specific goals and to intimidate opponents, witnesses, or the public.
The investigation of homicides, including contract killings, has specific nuances that are best understood by specialists in this field. Therefore, the operational meeting included presentations by participants on innovative methods in homicide detection, discussions on the latest crime trends, and the sharing of best practices. The meeting concluded with a roundtable discussion.
This activity was carried out within the framework of the project VP/IDF/2024/2 "Strengthening the fight against serious, organized, and cross-border crime and promoting cooperation with involved countries," which is being implemented within the framework of the European Union's Internal Security Fund for the 2021-2027 planning period, with the Ministry of the Interior as the managing authority in Latvia.
