This
week, we've brought you stories on the
FBI Lab and its use of DNA technology, as well
as on the birth of the first International Law
Enforcement Academy in Budapest.
Today,
a story that ties these themes together.
Last
week, after nearly two years of collaboration between
the FBI Lab and ILEA Budapest, leaders from Hungary
and the U.S. came together to launch a groundbreaking
addition to the Academy: the Forensic Science
Training Center.
What
is this Training Center? A series of
four labs, stocked with modern technologies and
equipment, to teach police across Europe and
Asia the latest forensic capabilities and techniques
that they can take back to their countries. It's
the first international forensic training lab
of its kind in the world.
Why
is it needed? For a lot of reasons:
The
FBI's contribution? We donated and set
up more than $1 million worth of equipment, following
our move to a new Lab.
And, down the road, we hope to send our forensic
experts to teach at the Center.
The
FBI's Executive Assistant Director for Law Enforcement
Services, Charles Prouty, spoke
at the dedication. He called the Center a "fine
example of what cooperation between our countries'
law enforcement agencies can accomplish" and
described it as "the physical embodiment of
our commitment to the rule of law."
Our
thanks and congratulations to all those who made
it happen!
Related
links: Charles
Prouty's remarks; the
ILEA Budapest website