New training program deals with transnational crime in COVID-19

New training program deals with transnational crime in COVID-19

RMIT University, in partnership with the Australian Federal Police and the Vietnam Ministry of Public Security, is delivering a specialised course to help police forces across the region better manage transnational crime amidst the ongoing pandemic.

While COVID-19 has heavily restricted cross-border movements, organised criminals are rapidly adapting their activities to the new normal to keep their flow of illegal profits going.

According to Major General Do Van Hoanh, Director of the Police Investigation Agency under the Vietnam Ministry of Public Security, “lockdown and travel restrictions implemented by governments during COVID-19 have not stopped operations of criminal syndicates”.

“On the contrary, the pandemic has been used as an advantage by criminal syndicates to boost their activities with more complicated modus operandi,” he said.

news-1-new-training-program-deals-with-transnational-crime-in-covid-19 Major General Do Van Hoanh, Director of the Police Investigation Agency under the Vietnam Ministry of Public Security.

The Australian Federal Police, the Vietnam Ministry of Public Security and RMIT University have joined forces to introduce a new online pandemic preparedness course to help combat transnational crime through their joint flagship Asia Region Law Enforcement Management Program (ARLEMP).

For four weeks, participants in the course will have the chance to examine law enforcement responses to COVID-19 and gain insights that will help them address emerging transnational crime threats and prepare for any future global health crisis.

The 50 participants are all active members from the ARLEMP network, specialising in drug trafficking, terrorism, child sexual exploitation, cyber crime, human trafficking and people smuggling.

Australian Federal Police Senior Officer in Vietnam, Detective Superintendent Roger Brown, said that law enforcement agencies across the world are trying to stay ahead of transnational criminals who are rapidly adapting their business models and seeking alternative ways to reap illicit profits.

“Cooperation is key. Through ARLEMP, we are providing a strategic opportunity to address a cutting-edge theme that can have immediate applicability to the participants’ work in combating transnational crime,” Detective Superintendent Brown said.

news-2-new-training-program-deals-with-transnational-crime-in-covid-19 Australian Federal Police Senior Officer in Vietnam, Detective Superintendent Roger Brown, with Vietnam Ministry of Public Security Senior Lieutenant Colonel Vu Thu Hanh and RMIT Head of Hanoi Campus Phillip Dowler (from right to left).

Since 2005, ARLEMP has run 50 courses mainly out of RMIT’s Vietnam campuses for over 1,000 law enforcement officials from 38 countries, mostly in Asia.

While it is not possible to conduct face-to-face ARLEMP programs due to the current pandemic, the new online mode provides an innovative platform to foster connections between police forces in the region.

Participants continue to benefit from specialised contributions from educators and international experts, including high-level law enforcement officials, representatives from United Nations’ agencies and private sector experts.

The part-time course also respects that police resources are stretched with the added demands of community safety and public order.

RMIT Vietnam Chairman Professor Peter Coloe said that the University was proud to offer a program which is at the forefront of global efforts to deal with emerging transnational crime.

“Our 15-year collaboration with the Australian Federal Police and Vietnam Ministry of Public Security through ARLEMP is one of the most valuable and effective partnerships in RMIT’s two decades of operating in Vietnam so far.

“We commend our ARLEMP alumni for the way they have managed community safety while focusing on crime detection and prevention during this pandemic, and hope that our program will continue to diversify their skills and knowledge to tackle new challenges,” Professor Coloe said.

Alt Text is not present for this image, Taking dc:title 'news-3-new-training-program-deals-with-transnational-crime-in-covid-19' Since 2005, ARLEMP has run 50 courses mainly out of RMIT’s Vietnam campuses for over 1,000 law enforcement officials from 38 countries, mostly in Asia

Story: Ngoc Hoang

05 October 2020

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