INTERPOL

As you walk along the Allée du Lac, let’s talk for a moment about a building you can’t see from here, but which is located just a few meters to your left. Did you know that Lyon is home to one of the world’s largest international police cooperation organizations? Since 1989, INTERPOL’s General Secretariat has been located beside the park, making the city a major hub for exchanges between law enforcement agencies around the world. INTERPOL is not a police force that directly arrests criminals. Instead, it is an organization that helps services from 196 countries work together by sharing information and tools to fight threats that cross borders, including cybercrime, terrorism, organized crime, trafficking, and the search for fugitives. From Lyon, teams from around the world coordinate databases, analyses, and a secure network that allows authorized police officers to quickly access international information. But you might wonder: why Lyon? In 1989, INTERPOL left Paris and moved to the capital of the Gauls. The choice was no coincidence. Located at the heart of Europe, well connected to major international cities, and home to a district specifically designed to host global institutions, Lyon provided an ideal setting for an organization whose mission is precisely to bring countries together beyond their borders. So yes, Lyon is known for its heritage and its gastronomy, but it is also a city where decisions are made that affect global security. The building is, of course, closed to the public, but if you visit the Cité Internationale, you’ll be able to see it.