CARICOM Impacs, CBLA Crime Stoppers Foundation formalise alliance

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) and Crime Stoppers for the Caribbean, Bermuda and Latin America (CBLA Crime Stoppers Foundation) have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening regional cooperation in support of crime prevention, intelligence coordination and citizen participation across the Caribbean.

The agreement was signed on May 12, in Paramaribo, Suriname, during the Annual Conference of Caribbean Commissioners of Police (ACCP), marking an important step towards enhancing collaborative mechanisms to address serious and transnational organised crime affecting the Caribbean Region.

The MoU establishes a structured framework for secure information-sharing cooperation between CARICOM IMPACS and Crime Stoppers through confidential and anonymous reporting mechanisms that support regional security objectives while fully respecting national sovereignty, legal frameworks and institutional mandates.

Under the agreement, Crime Stoppers will continue operating secure anonymous reporting systems that allow citizens to voluntarily provide information related to criminal activity, while CARICOM IMPACS will retain responsibility for the assessment, coordination and strategic analysis of information in accordance with regional security frameworks.

The partnership will place special focus on combatting transnational criminal activities impacting the Caribbean Region, including drug trafficking, illicit trade, arms trafficking, money laundering, gang-related violence, human trafficking, cyber-enabled criminal activity and other organised crime threats affecting regional stability, economic development and citizen security.

“This agreement represents an important milestone in strengthening trusted partnerships between regional institutions and civil society mechanisms to support public safety across the Caribbean,” said Alejo Campos, Regional Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), CBLA Crime Stoppers.

“Transnational organised crime continues to evolve rapidly across our Region. Strengthening regional coordination, citizen cooperation and secure intelligence-sharing mechanisms is essential to protecting our countries, economies and communities”, he added.

Lt. Col. Michael Jones, Executive Director, CARICOM IMPACS, stated: “This partnership represents a significant step forward in our regional security architecture. Integrating the grassroots reach of Crime Stoppers with the strategic coordination of CARICOM IMPACS creates a more formidable front against transnational organised crime”.

Col. Jones emphasised that through this collective intelligence and shared commitment, both organisations will truly enhance the safety and security of citizens across the Caribbean, Bermuda, and Latin America.

The cooperation framework also opens opportunities for future collaboration in areas such as public awareness campaigns, capacity-building initiatives, technical exchanges and regional prevention strategies.

CARICOM IMPACS is the implementation arm of the regional architecture to manage the Caribbean’s action agenda on crime and security and plays a central role in regional intelligence coordination and operational cooperation among Member States and Associate Members.

Crime Stoppers currently supports anonymous reporting initiatives and public safety partnerships throughout the Caribbean, Bermuda and Latin America, working alongside governments, law enforcement agencies, international organisations and communities to strengthen citizen participation in the prevention of crime.

This new partnership reflects the growing recognition that effective responses to organised crime require not only law enforcement action, but also trusted public participation, regional cooperation and modern information-sharing ecosystems capable of responding to increasingly complex criminal threats.

(PR)