Law enforcement agencies in the United States can learn from the example of Ireland's community policing operations, according the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Mr Louis J. Freeh said he was very impressed with "the very close and continuous contacts between [Garda] officers and the people on a local level", and the way in which officers are "in touch with the people they are protecting and not just riding around in their cars".
In the US, such co-operation has been "a great formula for success even in our biggest cities".
He was speaking at an international policing conference at Dublin Castle yesterday involving some 200 senior police officers from more than 20 countries.
Mr Freeh said he was also impressed with the amount of attention given by the Garda to science and technology, from advancing laboratory forensics to tackling computer crime. "It's a very, very well regarded police force."
He said the success of the Criminal Assets Bureau had underlined the importance of combating money-laundering. The ability to lawfully seize the proceeds of criminal activities "is a critical necessity for any good police force".
Mr Freeh would not answer questions about the FBI's involvement in supervising the RUC's inquiry into the murder of Newry solicitor Ms Rosemary Nelson.
However, he confirmed the FBI had assisted detectives seeking six missing women in the midlands under Operation Trace. The US force had made available to the Garda profiles of serial killers and other information.
He added: "Our experts are working together much more frequently. We have given each other tools and skills that we use."
An exchange of computer software has taken place between the two police forces. A further collaborative event will take place in September when a team of gardai will participate in an FBI training camp on hostage rescue and special operations.
Mr Freeh stressed the importance of advancing co-operation between jurisdictions in areas such as Internet control.
"There are over 100 million people now using the Internet for commerce, education but also, unfortunately, in some cases, to commit crimes, and police organisations have to have the ability not just to chase a fugitive over a fence but chase a virus over an Internet service provider. These are tools and skills that cannot be unilaterally developed by police organisations but have to be collectively managed and shared."
This point was reiterated by the director of US Customs, Mr Ray Kelly, who said 95 per cent of child pornography trafficking now took place on the Internet.
He expressed concern at the relaxation of border controls within the EU in that it could make the distribution of drugs or pornographic material easier. In this regard, he stressed the importance of policing entry points to Ireland.
Organised by the Garda Siochana and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the 16th European Executive Policing Conference concludes today with series of workshops on youth diversion programmes, the Y2K problem and CCTV policing.
