The alarm and response centre sorts the communications it receives

Cooperation and information go hand in hand

fedpol is the hub for police cooperation - both abroad and in Switzerland. An exchange of information between the various national and international authorities is essential for cooperation to function smoothly in the fight against crime. fedpol strikes the right balance between human resources and technology. The success of its work hinges both on its employees and on reliable information systems, including the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), the national computerised police search system (RIPOL) and the Schengen Information System (SIS). In 2022, the number of incoming communications rose to 394,266, slightly higher than the previous year.

National and international tasks to support the police

201720182019202020212022
Incoming communications for CEA fedpol / SIRENE / Europol / INTERPOL226 942225 368303 182339 715381 487394 266
Incoming communications for CCPD and police attachés32 22532 40530 78727 46329 94533 734
Processed communications Europol15 78216 39120 26222 09726 16227 208
Incoming communications for INTERPOL173 913171 627224 291157 529186 502161,925
Outgoing communications for INTERPOL143 276152 647183 802180 378183 743196,600
AFIS-CODIS processing mandate201720182019202020212022
2 fingers145 697138 081142 660107 161133 740263 781
10 fingers58 48756 77054 96147 79050 47562 182
Finger and palm prints97419561902110 27510 59511 053
DNA profiles of people19 78614 70113 35911 69410 30410 119
DNA profiles of traces12 30211 54611 58011 59811 70112 655
Total identification requests246 013230 659231 581188 518216 815359 790

The end of the pandemic and the continuing war in Ukraine have had an impact on migration and the displacement of refugees, raising the number of fingerprint processing orders for 2-fingerprints to 263,781, which is double the number for 2021. When asylum seekers arrive in Switzerland, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) examines their asylum application and takes prints of 2 or 10 fingers for identification purposes.

The national computerised police search system RIPOL

RIPOL data201720182019202020212022
People338 254347 215285 785273 731243 039239 633
Vehicles (including bicycles and motorcycles)528 150549 979572 661592 579569 295552 894
Vehicle registrations426 396426 904434 253441 854409 384374 025
Unsolved offences2 531 1512 653 7452 770 5442 818 5952 801 0552 796 446
Objects2 942 9163 064 8723 138 4672 943 8462 837 3202 807 192
Reports71 68276 51380 98181 63581 94782 501
Data entered concerning searches for persons (RIPOL)201720182019202020212022
Arrest warrants68 99664 72168 90668 84263 03375 029
Searches of the place of residence47 47746 53743 11833 18929 18237 694
Expulsion measures498237293381299735994638
Detention without imprisonment12 74114 19813 96913 62113 82115 164
Judicial expulsions47310421671176317921723
Execution of sentences and measures525430418411421333
Missing persons591040594764331836574328
Child abductions prevented183283262271267382
Bans on travel to a given country (HOOGAN)01520046
Covert surveillance14890140118312186
Covert surveillance – State security115374455435447320
Targeted Checks51812816
Targeted Checks – State security1181041531147172

With 2022 marking the end of COVID health measures and the return of sporting events, such as the World Cup, the number of travel bans issued for hooligans rose from 0 to 46.

Data entered concerning searches for objects (RIPOL)201720182019202020212022
Cases178 208174 902170 969137 761152 933182 002
Reports602953795692557351805707
Objects161 531144 260139 645104 887117 851146 884
Data entered concerning searches for vehicles (RIPOL)201720182019202020212022
Vehicles511845394811399941405148
Stolen bicycles, motorcycles, VINs25 53626 00526 11024 55724 42228 397
Vehicle number plates38 69839 28935 57031 95132 62335 331
Bicycle and motorcycle number plates213923202251206221472394
Data entered concerning active searches (RIPOL)201720182019202020212022
Known urgent messages16 32417 84517 73317 14917 86219 375

Positive responses in the Schengen Information System (SIS) in 2022

Positive responses in the SISSwitzerlandResults abroad on Swiss data
Arrests for extradition purposes319286
Entry bans56625042
Disappearances1099167
Searches on behalf of judicial authorities (e.g. for witnesses)1857390
Covert surveillance4392915
Objects (vehicles, documents, weapons)2703745
Total160327545