“When we speak, officials and Politicians listen. We are making a difference. Not only are we known… we are respected.”
That was the message from EuroCop President Calum Steele as he welcomed delegates across the continent to the organisation’s Autumn Meeting in Edinburgh.
Calum outlined to colleagues how the organisation has raised its profile across the continent and told delegates: “The signs are encouraging that our membership will continue to grow.”
He added: “At every level of the name of EuroCOP is not only known, it is respected. We are sought out; our views matter. When we speak officials and politicians listen, and we are making a difference.
“Whether it’s the revised EuroPOL mandate, the role of CEPOL, the role of big data and A I for policing, or the revised code of European Police Ethics, EuroCOP is shaping them all.
“In the past few weeks alone, we have met with
- Rob Rozenburg, Head of Unit for Police Cooperation, European Commission
- Dragos Tudorache MEP
- Eadaoin O’Sullivan from the team of Clare Daly MEP’s
- Isabelle Pérignon, Deputy Head of Cabinet of Commissioner Didier Reynders
- Emma Udwin Head of Unit for Migration, Borders and Security, Secretariat General, European Commission
- Konstantinos Ntantinos from the office of Despina Spanou – Cabinet of Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas
“Where we debated some of the finer details of each of these issues. EuroCOP is seen as both a valuable contributor, as well as a critical friend, and valuable ally.”
Calum said that in these meetings, EuroCOP discussed “the criminal exploitation of women and children, and the inevitable conflicts police found ourselves in the middle off.
“How do we build community trust when those who are most critical of police officers are those least tolerant of robust policing to protect borders?
“We discussed the emerging challenges global warming will present for police services across Europe and asked if there were any considerations for the practical police considerations this will create.”
Looking to the future, Calum added: “We need to develop strategies and positions on the new mass migration challenges. We need to do the same for building confidence that our police services understand the risks of not doing so.
“We need to ensure our organisations are not just alert to, but driving strategic and tactical decision making on the impact of climate change on policing, for there can be little doubt this in itself will force the mass movement of people across the world.”