Number of reports processed by the Operations and Alarm Centre
Ensuring the police know what they know
fedpol is the hub for police cooperation – in Switzerland with other countries. Information is the police’s greatest asset in the fight against crime. The success of fedpol’s work hinges both on its employees and on reliable information systems.
The exchange of information between the various national and international authorities is crucial in the fight against crime.
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) are essential instruments in the fight against crime – for all Swiss law enforcement and security agencies, as well as for the migration and border control authorities. As in previous years, the number of incoming reports in 2023 rose again, this time totalling 423,115.
National and international tasks to support the police
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Incoming communications for CEA fedpol / SIRENE / Europol / INTERPOL
303 182
339 715
381 487
394 266
423 115
Incoming communications for CCPD* and police attachés**
The war in Ukraine and other conflict hotspots around the world have influenced migration and refugee movements. As a result, rapid checks in particular remain at a high level. When asylum seekers arrive in Switzerland, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) examines their asylum application and takes fingerprints for identification purposes.
The national computerised police search system RIPOL
RIPOL data
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
People
285 785
273 731
243 039
239 633
238 847
Vehicles (including bicycles and motorcycles)
572 661
592 579
569 295
552 894
542 509
Vehicle registrations
434 253
441 854
409 384
374 025
342 764
Unsolved offences
2 770 544
2 818 595
2 801 055
2 796 446
2 803 712
Objects
3 138 467
2 943 846
2 837 320
2 807 192
2 803 317
Reports (descriptions)
80 981
81 635
81 947
82 501
84 982
Data entered concerning searches for persons (RIPOL)
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Arrest warrants
68 906
68 842
63 033
75 029
78 092
Searches for whereabouts
43 118
33 189
29 182
37 694
45 266
Police measures against terrorism
5
4
Expulsions – fedpol
5
14
Expulsion measures
3 381
2 997
3 599
4 638
6 092
Pre-trial detention
13 969
13 621
13 821
15 164
17 040
Serving sentences and undergoing measures
418
411
421
333
363
Missing persons
4 764
3 318
3 657
4 328
4 547
Child abductions prevented
262
271
267
382
550
Bans on travel to a given country (HOOGAN)
2
0
0
46
0
Covert surveillance
140
118
312
186
130
Covert surveillance – State security
455
435
447
320
333
Targeted checks
8
12
8
16
22
Targeted checks – State security
153
114
71
72
88
Data entered concerning searches for property (RIPOL)
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Cases
170 969
137 761
152 933
182 002
198 122
Reports (descriptions)
5 692
5 573
5 180
5 707
6 392
Items
139 645
104 887
117 851
146 884
161 697
Data entered concerning searches for vehicles (RIPOL)
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Vehicles
4 811
3 999
4 140
5 148
6 272
Bicycles, motorcycles and stolen Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs)
26 110
24 557
24 422
28 397
32 292
Vehicle number plates
35 570
31 951
32 623
35 331
39 108
Bicycle and motorcycle number plates
2 251
2 062
2 147
2 394
2 330
Data entered concerning active searches (RIPOL)
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Urgent messages regarding persons
17 733
17 149
17 862
19 375
20 914
Positive responses in the Schengen Information System (SIS) in 2023
Switzerland
Results abroad on Swiss data
Arrests for extradition purposes
337
244
Entry bans
5 445
4 725
Disappearances
1 249
218
Searches on behalf of judicial authorities (e.g. for witnesses)
1 788
469
Covert recording of movements*
4 861
727
Property (vehicles, documents, weapons, etc.)
2 521
1 250
Total
18187
14832
* Covert recording in the SIS allows the movement of persons suspected of being involved in terrorist activities to be traced.