Category: Transport sector

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana co-organized a practical seminar on inspection of higher educational institutions and maritime training centres of Kazakhstan in co-operation with the Committee of Railway and Water Transport of the Ministry of Transport and with the support of the Kazakhstan Maritime Academy of the Kazakh-British Technical University. The main goal of the seminar was to strengthen oversight of inspection and accreditation of higher educational institutions and maritime training centres in Kazakhstan, in line with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

Maritime safety begins long before a vessel leaves port, it starts in the classroom, where future seafarers are trained to meet international standards. The STCW sets globally accepted minimum standards for the training, certification, and competence of seafarers, ensuring that ships are operated safely worldwide. Before STCW, standards varied widely between countries, creating risks to maritime safety and uneven levels of crew competence. The Convention also plays a key role in protecting the marine environment, as competent seafarers are better equipped to prevent pollution and respond effectively to environmental emergencies.

The seminar focused on the strict STCW requirements governing seafarer training, including curriculum development, teaching methodologies, assessment processes, and institutional facilities. Participants gained a comprehensive understanding of how inspections are conducted, the methodologies used for evaluation, and the specific criteria applied during accreditation.

Through in-depth discussions and practical guidance delivered by an international expert, the seminar helped to identify areas for improvement and support the Ministry’s efforts to modernize and adapt its national framework, where needed. This initiative represents an important step toward modernizing national inspection systems, strengthening compliance with international standards, and enhancing maritime safety and environmental protection.

Europol has published The Unmanned Future(s): The Impact of Robotics and Unmanned Systems on Law Enforcement. The report, produced by the Europol Innovation Lab, provides an in-depth analysis of how unmanned systems could change society, crime and law enforcement, and discusses the challenges and opportunities they present.

The report underscores the rapid advancement and integration of unmanned systems in various sectors, including law enforcement. As these technologies become more sophisticated and widespread, they offer new opportunities for law enforcement operations and operational support. However, they also introduce new security threats – such as misuse by criminal and terrorist groups – and regulatory challenges that law enforcement agencies must address to ensure public safety and maintain trust.

"The integration of unmanned systems into crime is already here, and we have to ask ourselves how criminals and terrorists might use drones and robots some years from now. Just as the internet and smartphones presented significant opportunities as well as challenges, so will this technology. Our new report by Europol’s Innovation Lab explores the future operating environment for European law enforcement agencies and suggests actions needed today in order to effectively combat crime while upholding public trust and fundamental rights tomorrow." said Catherine De Bolle,Europol Executive Director.

One chapter of the report highlights the role of war as a driver for innovation in unmanned systems. Recent conflicts, such as the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, have accelerated the development and deployment of advanced unmanned systems. The lessons learnt from these conflicts are invaluable for law enforcement agencies in Europe as they prepare for the future operating environment.

Unmanned systems are becoming increasingly useful, affordable and widely available, with applications in both public and private sectors. Law enforcement agencies across Europe are scaling up adoption of such systems, including drones and robots, to enhance situational awareness, improve safety and extend operational reach. These systems are employed for a range of tasks, such as monitoring, crime scene mapping, search and rescue operations, and the disposal of explosive ordnance, among others. Converging technologies present a significant opportunity for a breakthrough in the capabilities of unmanned systems.

The report highlights significant technical limitations and regulatory gaps that hinder the effective use of unmanned systems in law enforcement. Issues such as limited autonomy, dependence on industrial suppliers and the lack of clear guidelines for autonomous operations pose substantial challenges.

Criminal and terrorist groups are rapidly adopting unmanned systems for illicit activities. The report warns of the potential for these systems to be used for criminal surveillance, smuggling and even attacks. The increasing accessibility and versatility of drones, in particular, present serious security concerns.

Public trust is crucial for the legitimacy of law enforcement capabilities. The report emphasises the need for transparency, accountability and public engagement in the deployment of unmanned systems. Current regulations, while advancing, still have gaps, particularly in addressing non-compliant or criminal use.

The future of law enforcement will require policing in a three-dimensional space, as unmanned systems operate in the air and on the ground, as well as on and under water. This shift will necessitate new strategies, technologies and training for law enforcement agencies.

The report provides a set of recommendations for European law enforcement agencies, including the development of a strategic direction, the establishment of a competency hub and the integration of unmanned systems into existing information systems. It also calls for investments in training, education and public trust-building initiatives.

The report is available for download on the Europol website and includes detailed insights, case studies and recommendations for law enforcement agencies, policymakers and other stakeholders.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released the Venue Guide for Mitigating Dependency Disruptions, a new resource designed to strengthen the resilience of public gathering venues. This guide provides stadium and arena owners and operators with baseline strategies to mitigate the consequences of potential disruptions to four critical lifeline sectors—including Energy, Water and Wastewater Systems, Communications, and Transportation.

CISA developed this guide in close collaboration with government and industry experts from the four lifeline sectors as a concise, actionable resource for stadium and arena owners. Tailored for major public gathering events- such as FIFA World Cup 2026, America 250, and 2028 Summer Olympics, the guide draws on lessons learned from recent disruptions at high-profile public gathering sports and entertainment facilities across the United States and internationally. It equips critical infrastructure stakeholders with a clear understanding of threats to lifeline sectors and provides effective strategies to safeguard operations, reduce vulnerabilities, and enhance preparedness.

“Today’s risk environment is rapidly evolving, posing serious threats and disruptions to U.S. critical infrastructure and public gathering venues,” said CISA Acting Director Madhu Gottumukkala. “CISA is committed to working hand-in-hand with our government and industry partners to deliver actionable guidance that helps mitigate these risks. This guide empowers venue owners and operators to proactively assess vulnerabilities tied to dependent lifeline services and integrate those insights into contingency planning—ultimately reducing potential consequences and strengthening operational resilience.”

The Venue Guide for Mitigating Dependency Disruptions aligns with Executive Order 14234 Establishing the White House Task Force on the World Cup 2026, Executive Order 14239 Achieving Efficiency through State and Local Preparedness, and Executive Order 14328 Establishing the White House Task Force on the 2028 Summer Olympics. This guide assists critical infrastructure and public venue owners and operations with:

- Understanding the lifeline sector dependencies and interdependencies that their venues may rely on;

- Assessing security risks and associated key components of a facility evaluation; and

- Focusing on continued information-sharing and relationship-building with key partners such as local services providers, first responders, and CISA Security Advisors.

“Robust partnerships are essential to safeguarding critical infrastructure and public gatherings. By sharing threat intelligence, risk mitigation strategies, and other vital information, we strengthen our collective ability to anticipate and respond to potential disruptions. CISA’s newly released guide empowers venue owners and operators to assess dependencies and implement targeted mitigation strategies,” said CISA Executive Assistant Director for Infrastructure Security Steve Casapulla. “We deeply value the insights and collaboration from our government and industry partners across four lifeline sectors, which were instrumental in shaping this timely and practical resource. CISA urges all organizations that host events to review the guide and take proactive steps to enhance infrastructure security and resilience.”

The Threat Screening Center, administered by FBI, is responsible for managing the terrorist watchlist. In recent years, Members of Congress have raised questions about how nonfederal entities use the terrorist watchlist.

GAO was asked to examine the use of the terrorist watchlist by nonfederal law enforcement entities. This report examines (1) nonfederal entities’ reporting of terrorist watchlist encounters to FBI and opportunities for improvement and (2) steps FBI has taken to ensure nonfederal entities’ awareness of watchlist policies through outreach and state-led trainings.

When state and local law enforcement officers encounter people—e.g., in traffic stops—officers check their names against state database systems. The systems will return an alert if a name potentially matches one on the terrorist watchlist, which is managed by the FBI.

In half the interviews with law enforcement agencies, officials said their officers may not always know how to properly respond to these alerts.

We recommended that the FBI develop a communications plan to tell law enforcement agencies about the policies around the terrorist watchlist, and a process to review states' training on the policies.

Nonfederal law enforcement officers query encountered individuals against the terrorist watchlist during routine police interactions, such as traffic stops. After encountering a potentially terrorist watchlisted individual, nonfederal law enforcement officers receive instructions, via the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Threat Screening Center to determine whether the individual is a positive or negative match to the terrorist watchlist.

GAO found that almost half of the law enforcement entities GAO interviewed in four states (12 of 26 entities, including police and sheriff’s departments) reported that officers were not consistently reporting encounters with potentially terrorist watchlisted individuals in instances where it is warranted. Seeking information to understand the extent to which nonfederal law enforcement entities are consistently reporting terrorist watchlist encounters could improve the accuracy of watchlist records.

Nonfederal Law Enforcement Steps When Responding To Terrorist Watchlist Encounters

The Threat Screening Center uses outreach efforts to communicate terrorist watchlisting policies to nonfederal law enforcement entities that use the terrorist watchlist. However, GAO found that FBI has not ensured nonfederal law enforcement entities are aware of terrorist watchlist policies and has not taken steps to develop a communication plan for its outreach efforts. Developing a communication plan with goals and measures as well as periodic assessments of progress would help accomplish this. Additionally, FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services does not ensure states train NCIC users on terrorist watchlist policies. Without developing a process to review states’ efforts to do so, FBI cannot ensure that state training programs instruct nonfederal law enforcement to properly protect and respond to terrorist watchlist information.

GAO reviewed watchlist policies and training resources for nonfederal entities and collected encounter data for fiscal years 2019 through 2024. GAO interviewed nonfederal law enforcement officials in four states selected based on the number of encounters and other factors. While not generalizable, these interviews provided insights into officials’ awareness of policies and training.

This is the public version of a sensitive report GAO issued in August 2025. Information on encounter data and official FBI instructions on handling watchlist encounters that FBI deemed sensitive has been omitted.

GAO recommends that FBI (1) seek information to understand the extent to which nonfederal law enforcement entities are consistently reporting terrorist watchlist encounters, (2) develop a communication plan to improve its outreach efforts, and (3) develop a process to review state efforts to instruct NCIC users about watchlist policies. FBI concurred with the recommendations.