From October 8 to 9 this year, an international conference titled “New Technology Solutions as a Resource for Strengthening Internal Security,” organized by the State Police, took place in Riga. It gathered over 150 participants both in person and remotely from at least 15 countries.
The main thematic focus of the conference was dedicated to issues crucial for strengthening security in Europe and globally – the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, and artificial intelligence, legal regulation, and the protection of critical infrastructure.
To strengthen cooperation and knowledge exchange among European countries regarding new technologies as a security resource, their practical application, and impact on public safety, the conference featured 11 foreign experts. These included representatives from the Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs and the National Academy of the National Guard of Ukraine, the Directorate of Special Units of the Austrian Ministry of the Interior, the police forces of Italy, Poland, Ireland, Spain, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic, and the Police Academy in Szczytno, Poland. Latvian experts also presented – from the Latvian State Police, the Office of the Ombudsman, Rīga Stradiņš University, and the Internal Security Academy.
“The State Police College identifies and adopts international experience to create new tools for law enforcement agencies faster, better, and more effectively in synergy with existing resources. Drones, or flying robots, are becoming an indispensable part of daily police work – just like cars and motorcycles once did. I believe that in the near future, drones will become a full-fledged support in traffic surveillance, helping to save human resources and increase work efficiency. Technology can make our work safer, more transparent, and more effective,” emphasized Dmitrijs Homenko, Director of the State Police College.
Meanwhile, on the second day of the international conference, October 9, the first drone competition organized by the State Police took place at the Biķernieki Complex Sports Base. Its goal was to promote drone piloting skills, experience exchange, and cooperation between law enforcement agencies, jointly strengthening airspace protection and surveillance. Eight teams participated in the competition from the State Police, the State Fire and Rescue Service, the State Border Guard, and the National Guard. Testing their piloting and cooperation skills, participants performed six challenging tasks – ranging from rescue simulations and precise object delivery to flying complex figures. In the competition of eight teams, the State Border Guard team claimed victory.
The conference and competition were organized as part of project No. VP/IDF/2024/5 “Strengthening the State Police’s Response Mobility and Counter-Terrorism Capabilities by Establishing a Practical Training Centre,” implemented within the Internal Security Fund’s 2021–2027 planning period, with the Ministry of the Interior being the managing auhtority in Latvia.
Read more on the State Police College website:
https://www.policijas.koledza.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/riga-aizvadita-starptautiska-konference-ar-pirmajam-valsts-policijas-dronu-sacensibam?fbclid=IwY2xjawNa0-xleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBxTGoxSFNHMVBlUlh6cFV1AR6ACQYgTj--sHZoOB2CaMHk3orCxoNcX5cKGBdTO15YnGNl4eWp6-lEokXVfw_aem_akibMFEqM4w9GY-qLQtWYA.
