Crime and mafia, the challenges for Switzerland
Institutional Communication Service
26 April 2024
The resignation of Nicoletta della Valle, a figure who held the directorship of the Federal Office of Police (fedpol) for nearly a decade, has sparked a significant discourse on crime, both within Switzerland and on the global stage. Francesco Lepori, the Operations Manager at USI Ticino Observatory on Organised Crime (O-TiCO), recently delved into this topic during an interview on the RSI news programme "Telegiornale".
During his interview, Lepori emphasised that the long-standing demand from della Valle herself for an increase in the resources made available to the Swiss law enforcement agencies - particularly the workforce - is legitimate. "It is so to the extent that investigations have become more complex, especially because of technology," noted the O-TiCO operations manager. "Working with data that is collected online, especially if it is encrypted, presents both legal and quantitative obstacles. To skim and analyse them all within a reasonable timeframe would require significantly more resources".
Progress, net of headcount, could - and should - nevertheless touch several areas. "In my opinion, at least four more steps should be taken. A bolder investigative approach, more dynamism, even more intensive cooperation between all actors involved, and last but not least, more effective legislative tools are needed."
Below is the full video of the USI professor's contribution (Italian only).
