Former police officer and harm reduction expert, Greg Denham, recently contributed to a special event hosted by Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, regarding, “Drug Crime/Dependency Debates in China: What Australian Universities can Contribute”.
Project Description
Transnational drug crime in China and across its borders is a major security and health issue for Australia and the region.
The project aims to develop existing ties with Chinese universities and policing organisations towards better methods of preventing and policing drug crime. This will enable deeper understanding of cross-cultural issues in police training, in particular that which occurs in relation to policing Chinese and Australian borders.
The project team, including Professor Sue Trevaskes, Professor Ross Coomber and Associate Professor Melissa Bull, from the Griffith Criminology Institute (GCI), hosted a two-day workshop at Griffith University. Practitioners and scholars from Yunnan Police Officer Academy (YPOA), and other universities in China, were invited to join Australian scholars, and State and Federal police in Brisbane, to exchange information on controlling drug crime and managing drug dependency in China and Australia. This workshop highlighted opportunities and challenges for exchange of strategic and operational knowledge and practices between policing organisations and jurisdictions, particularly in relation to minimisation of harm, and drug markets in China and Australia.
The event was a key forum for capacity exchange, education and international co-operation.