Intelligence helps officers deprive criminals of access to the skies.

Constable Mark Bond, who runs the new Airport Police Intelligence Centre, strongly believes that improved use of intelligence will deprive criminals of the use of the Airport as an access point into and around New Zealand.

Inspector Mike Woods (right) and Chief Superintendent Steve Masters at the Port Of Dover. Photo: Kent Police

Mark was recently involved in an operation aimed at a group of criminals of Irish extraction who have travelled the world targeting vulnerable people selling sham, faulty and over-priced products such as generators or tarmac.

Using information shared by Immigration, Customs, Interpol and overseas police colleagues in the UK and Australia, Mark commenced an intelligence operation to identify and track 150 offenders and have them removed from Australia and New Zealand.

So far this year the team has responded to more than 400 combined law agency enquiries and requests for assistance.

“The opportunities to deprive criminals including gang members of access to the airways are boundless and our team’s goal is to match the best international Intelligence Units,” says Mark.

Inspector Mike Woods recently visited the Port of Dover in Kent, England, where he talked at length with senior officer, Chief Superintendent Steve Masters about policing a port and the way intelligence can be used to control criminal behaviour in, around and through an international terminal.

The more Mike learns about border policing the more passionate he becomes about what it can achieve.