French Police offer training to officers
As part of the close collaboration between the Force and the French National Police (FNP) after the signing of a Letter of Intent in July last year on co-operation in combatting crimes, the FNP offered a three-day training course on investigation of credit card related offences to officers. A total of 27 officers at the ranks of Police Constable to Chief Inspector from Commercial Crime Bureau and six Regions attended the course at Police Headquarters from May 21 to 23.
Police Lieutenant Gilles Etienne, leader of the credit card fraud squad of the FNP, conducted the course, which covered a wide range of topics, including introduction to France's law enforcement and judicial system; the National Office for the Fight against Cybercrime; French co-operation with EUROPOL and INTERPOL; investigation of payment card fraud, skimming and carding; and use of credit card numbers in making distance selling. Lieutenant Etienne also cited the successful cases of co-operation between the Force and the FNP.
According to Lieutenant Etienne, credit card fraud is one of the crimes causing increasing concern, costing French banks millions of dollars last year. As the crime figures remained high despite the great efforts made by INTERPOL, the FNP had studied the new tactics and modus operandi of the credit card culprits around the world.
CCB Chief Inspector Tommy Cheng said he found the course very useful and that his colleagues could make reference to the French experience when dealing with cases.
Officiating at a closing ceremony upon completion of the course, Assistant Commissioner (Crime) Lo Mung-hung stressed that close police co-operation is one of the most effective tools to combat international crimes, adding that the training course underlined the commitments and values shared by the Force and the FNP. Finally he reminded officers: "We all need to remain alert to the emerging trends and methods of credit card crimes, and to develop our skills and measures to tackle the related problems."
Assistant
Commissioner
(Crime) Lo Mung-hung presents a souvenir to Mr Etienne