# Interpol

> International Criminal Police Organization (founded 1923)

**Wikidata**: [Q8475](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8475)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpol)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/interpol

## Summary

Interpol, officially known as the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO), is an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Lyon, France, that facilitates international police cooperation. Founded in 1923 in Vienna, it connects law enforcement agencies across 196 member countries to combat transnational crime. The organization operates under the motto "Connecting police for a safer world" and maintains a General Secretariat currently led by Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza.

## Key Facts

- **Official Name:** The International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL (ICPO)
- **Founded:** September 7, 1923, in Vienna, Austria
- **Headquarters:** 200 Quai Charles de Gaulle, 69006 Lyon, France
- **Membership:** 196 countries
- **Leadership:** President Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi (since Nov 25, 2021); Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza (since Nov 7, 2024)
- **Budget:** 113,000,000 United States dollars (2017)
- **Employees:** 756 (2013)
- **Legal Form:** International organization (under French legal categories)
- **Official Languages:** Arabic, English, French, Spanish
- **Motto:** "Connecting police for a safer world" / "Relier les polices pour un monde plus sûr"
- **Website:** https://interpol.int
- **Industry:** Activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies
- **Predecessor:** International Criminal Police Commission

## FAQs

**Who is the current leadership of Interpol?**
As of late 2024, the President is Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi, who took office on November 25, 2021. The General Secretariat is led by Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza, who began his tenure on November 7, 2024. Alexander Prokopchuk serves as a Vice President, having started his term on November 10, 2016.

**Where is Interpol headquartered?**
Interpol is based in Lyon, France. Its specific address is 200 Quai Charles de Gaulle in the 69006 postal code. The organization has been legally registered in France with the SIREN number 785447467.

**What is the operational scope of Interpol?**
Interpol operates on a worldwide scale, connecting police forces across 196 member countries. It holds official observer status in the United Nations General Assembly and the World Intellectual Property Organization, and maintains partnerships with entities like the International Civil Aviation Organization.

**When and why was Interpol founded?**
Interpol was founded on September 7, 1923, in Vienna. It replaced the International Criminal Police Commission. Its primary function is to serve as a law enforcement agency and organization for missing persons, facilitating telegraphic and communication exchanges between nations.

## Why It Matters

Interpol serves as the world's largest international police organization, acting as a critical node in the global security architecture. By providing a secure platform for law enforcement agencies from 196 countries to share intelligence, it bridges jurisdictional gaps that criminals often exploit. Its status as an international organization with observer status at the United Nations General Assembly and the World Intellectual Property Organization underscores its diplomatic and operational significance. The organization enables the cross-border collaboration necessary to address modern threats, ranging from terrorism to cybercrime, making it indispensable for maintaining global safety and security.

## Notable For

- **Global Reach:** Being one of the few organizations with membership from 196 countries, covering nearly the entire globe.
- **Multilingual Operations:** Conducting business in four official languages (Arabic, English, French, and Spanish) to ensure accessibility across diverse regions.
- **Historical Continuity:** Evolving from the International Criminal Police Commission in 1923 to become a modern intergovernmental body.
- **Digital Authority:** Maintaining a secure autonomous system number (AS30761) and a verified presence across major social platforms to disseminate global alerts.
- **Legal Standing:** Holding a unique position as an international organization legally domiciled in France with specific tax and legal exemptions.

## Body

### Organizational Identity and Structure
Interpol, formally titled "The International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL," is an intergovernmental organization and law enforcement agency. Legally, it is classified as an international organization under French law (Nomenclature d'activités française, rév. 2) and is registered under the SIREN number 785447467. The organization's core activity is defined as the "activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies."

The agency operates in four official languages: English, French, Spanish, and Arabic. Its headquarters are located at 200 Quai Charles de Gaulle, Lyon, France (postal code 69006). Geographically, the headquarters is situated at latitude 45.78219 and longitude 4.84838. Interpol also maintains an official domain name (interpol.int) and an autonomous system number (30761) for its network operations.

### History and Founding
The organization was founded on September 7, 1923, in Vienna, Austria. It succeeded the International Criminal Police Commission (ICPC). This foundational history is recognized through its "replaces" relationship with the ICPC. Over the decades, it has grown into a massive entity, currently comprising 196 member countries.

### Governance and Leadership
Interpol is governed by a President and managed by a General Secretariat led by a Secretary General.
- **President:** Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi assumed the role of President on November 25, 2021.
- **Secretary General:** Valdecy Urquiza was appointed Secretary General, effective November 7, 2024.
- **Corporate Officer:** Alexander Prokopchuk serves as a Vice President, a position he has held since November 10, 2016.

The organization employed 756 individuals as of 2013 and operated with a budget of 113 million US dollars as of 2017.

### External Relations and Partnerships
Interpol maintains significant alliances with other global bodies. It holds official observer status in the **United Nations General Assembly** and the **World Intellectual Property Organization**. It also maintains a formal partnership with the **International Civil Aviation Organization**.

### Digital Presence and Social Media
Interpol engages with the public and law enforcement through a comprehensive digital footprint.
- **Website:** https://interpol.int
- **Twitter/X:** @INTERPOL_HQ (Verified; User ID: 50643002; Joined June 25, 2009). The account had 281,641 followers as of February 2023.
- **YouTube:** Channel ID UCzY3w-5muWAUWIdCJ1EYuLw (User: INTERPOLHQ; Subscriber count approx. 36,300 as of Aug 2025).
- **Facebook:** InterpolHQ
- **Instagram:** interpol_hq
- **LinkedIn:** interpol
- **Bluesky:** Handle @interpol.int (DID: did:plc:dpunrrfmuvffztgc36f33mrr; Verified).
- **Quora:** Topics "Interpol" and "Interpol-International-Criminal-Police-Organization".

### Authority Control and Identifiers
Interpol is cataloged and tracked by numerous global bibliographic and academic systems, reflecting its historical and operational importance:
- **Library of Congress Authority ID:** n80090100
- **VIAF ID:** 128211548
- **ISNI:** 0000000119398045
- **ROR ID:** 02cyaqf66
- **GRID ID:** grid.426470.3
- **GND ID:** 4027473-1
- **French Bibliographic ID (BnF):** 120040321
- **EU Corporate Body Code:** INTERPOL
- **Freebase ID:** /m/03zzx
- **Wikidata ID:** Q53705036 (referenced contextually)

### Miscellaneous Classifications
The entity is categorized as a "missing persons organization" and a "telegraphic address." In academic and knowledge contexts, it is linked to the Eurovoc thesaurus (ID 5688) and has a WordNet 3.1 Synset ID (08361683-n). It is widely recognized in media databases, including BBC Things ID (569ca806-c1db-4c8e-95f7-4a270a5092cf) and the Encyclopædia Britannica Online (topic/Interpol).

## References

1. [El Instituto Universitario de la Policía Federal Argentina e INTERPOL firmaron un importante convenio](https://www.argentina.gob.ar/noticias/el-instituto-universitario-de-la-policia-federal-argentina-e-interpol-firmaron-un)
2. Q104816538
3. SIRENE
4. BnF authorities
5. CiNii Research
6. Virtual International Authority File
7. [Source](https://www.interpol.int/Who-we-are/Governance/President)
8. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
9. [Source](https://bundeskriminalamt.at/402/start.aspx)
10. [2013 Annual Report. Interpol. 2014](http://www.interpol.int/content/download/25671/352500/version/4/file/INTERPOL%20Annual%20Report%202013_EN_LR.pdf)
11. [Name and logo](https://www.interpol.int/Who-we-are/Legal-framework/Name-and-logo)
12. BBC Things
13. [Source](https://www.interpol.int/en)
14. GRID Release 2015-12-14
15. GRID Release 2016-12-06
16. [Source](https://www.icao.int/about-icao/Pages/Invited-Organizations.aspx)
17. [Source](https://www.interpol.int/Who-we-are/General-Secretariat/Secretary-General)
18. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
19. KBpedia
20. YouTube API
21. GF WordNet
22. [Interpol | bpb](https://www.bpb.de/nachschlagen/lexika/politiklexikon/296391/interpol)
23. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)
24. [Source](https://www.wipo.int/members/en/organizations.jsp?type=IGO_W)
25. [Source](https://undocs.org/Home/Mobile?FinalSymbol=A%2FRES%2F51%2F1&Language=E&DeviceType=Desktop&LangRequested=False)