About Us
The Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO) is a regional police body whose membership consists of Chiefs of Police of the 14 countries. It was established in 1998 with the aim of harmonizing, strengthening police co-operation and joint strategies, sharing of crime related information and harmonization of laws in order to enhance the capacity of Law Enforcement Agencies to combat transnational organized crime.
EAPCCO structure is made up of the Council of Police Chiefs (CPC) of the 14 member countries. The CPC is assisted and advised by the Permanent Coordinating Committee (PCC) consisting of the Heads of Criminal Investigations Departments of member countries. The CPC created four sub-committes; Gender Sub-Committee (GSC), Legal Sub-Committee (LSC), Training Sub-Committee and the Counter-Terrorism Sub committee. The sub-committes are responsible for; formulating strategies, creation of operational mechanisms and any other responsibility that the CPC may task them in combating crime in the region. To address any specific topical issue, the CPC is mandated to form task units known as Working Groups to carry out any instructions or function where necessary.
EAPCCO holds its Annual General Meeting rotationally in member countries. The INTERPOL Regional Bureau serves as the Secretariat.
OBJECTIVE OF EAPCCO
Harmonize, promote, strengthen and perpetuate cooperation and joint strategies for the management of all forms of cross border and related crimes with regional implications.
Prepare and disseminate relevant information on criminal activities and mutual assistance as may be necessary in controlling crime within the region for the benefit of all member states.
Examine training needs of member’s police forces/services in particular, specialized training areas such as drug enforcement, stolen vehicles, stolen artefacts, economic and financial crime, illicit trafficking of weapons, violent crime including terrorism and armed attacks and any other areas as may be identified.
Identify training potential within the region for the benefit of member police forces/services and ensure efficient operation and management of criminal records and effective joint monitoring of cross border crime taking full advantage of the relevant facilities available through INTERPOL.
Coordinate training programs.
Monitor the implementation of , and consider for adoption all resolutions made by EAPCCO.
Harmonize legal provisions of the member countries relating to extradition and mutual legal assistance and make relevant recommendations to governments of member countries in relation thereto and other affecting effective policing in the region.
Constitute such organs and draft legal instruments as may be necessary for carrying out its purpose.
Carry out any such relevant and appropriate acts and strategies for purposes of promoting regional police cooperation and collaboration as regional circumstances dictate.
Assist member countries to develop or improve good practices in governance and management of police institutions and t for human rights.
Assist member countries to develop and improve community based policing to encourage citizen involvement in preventing and combating crime.
Promote cooperation in the areas of planning, mobilization and where applicable deployment of law enforcement agents and police officers in peace support operations conducted by the African union.