Chuck Bingaman
Ulrich Kersten, of the Office of the Special Representative of Interpol to the United Nations in New York, will address the Windham World Affairs Council of Vermont, on Friday, November 18, at 7:30 PM, on World Learning Campus. Dr.Kersten will speak on Interpol's activities and its cooperation with the United Nations. He will discuss the many issues related to crime, law enforcement, and the UN, such as terrorism, organized crime, trafficking in human beings, drugs and weapons, child abuse, etc. Dr Ulrich Kersten, a former president of the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), German Federal Criminal Police, began his career in police related matters in the early 1970s at the German Federal Ministry of the Interior. Dr Kersten further developed the German Police information system in 1978 which serves both national and federal police forces. The enhancements improved the availability and exchange of information in relation to criminal investigations and intelligence.
Interpol, with its 184 member countries, is the world's largest police organization. Its focal point in each Interpol member country - the National Central Bureau - serves as a link between the law enforcement agencies of the respective countries.
Interpol's primary task is to support the police forces in member countries in their efforts to prevent crime and to conduct criminal investigations as efficiently and effectively as possible.
The Interpol office in New York, opened in October last year, is a representational office of the General Secretariat of Interpol located in Lyon, France.
In 1987, as Head of General Policy, Legal and Organizational Matters with the Federal Border Guard Affairs department, Dr Kersten oversaw a total re-organization of the Federal Border Police, extending its responsibility to rail transport and aviation security. Between 1996 and 2004 Dr Kersten was Head of the Bundeskriminalamt, where he was responsible for criminal investigations focusing on areas of serious crime such as international drug trafficking, organised crime and terrorism. Following the September 11attack, he enhanced and improved the capacity of the BKA's specialised terrorism branch and its international co-operation in this area.
As Special Representative of Interpol to the United Nations, Dr Kersten's appointment is initially for a three year term from 2004 to 2007.