Partnerships are important. The power of two can accomplish much more than is generally possible with only one. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich just is not the same with only peanut butter or only jelly. Juliet would just be another young woman staring at the stars without a Romeo there to hear her. Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan, Holmes and Watson, Gilbert and Sullivan all reached greater heights together than they ever would have alone and each pairing just would not be the same without the other.
We learn the power of partnerships early on in our lives. My first recollections of elementary school include being "partnered up" for practicing new concepts. Together we would read to each other, work on craft projects, or whatever activity our teacher had planned for the day. In those young interactions we learned that partnerships were important.
This issue of ACAMS Today is the second annual Law Enforcement Edition and ACAMS is pleased to again provide a forum for learning with a focus on the excellent and important work done through collaborative efforts. The cover article highlights the capabilities inherent in partnerships. Powerful partnerships discusses the things that can be accomplished when a group of like-minded individuals is put together in an effective way. The article also provides a blueprint for how these groups can be put together.
The second lead article, The thin green line looks at how to better take advantage of the many SARs that are filed and also what the benefits are of an efficient SAR Review Team.
The Lindbergh case gives a fascinating outline of one the crimes of the 20th century and how bankers played an important role in solving the case by following the money trail. The article makes connections to our days through focusing on the diligence of a banker doing his/her job by alerting law enforcement of suspicious activity.
This edition also has an excellent array of interviews. Each focuses on the importance of staying ever vigilant in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing. They also give perspectives of the public/private partnerships they have experienced.
Lastly, I would like to point out that in the wake of the recent regulatory fines levied against Coutts, financial institutions will need to be even more cognizant of the need for updated policies and consistent application of those policies. The article, Lessons learned from Coutts, gives more details on the findings that led to the penalty and their implications for all compliance departments.
As always do not forget to send your comments, ideas for articles and submissions directly to me at editor@acams.org.
