ATF’S TRUSCOTT HAILS ILEAs, VALUE OF
INTERNATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING
Speaks at 10th Anniversary of Budapest Academy

BUDAPEST -- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Director Carl J. Truscott today praised the work of the International Law Enforcement Academies (ILEA) and the important role they play in training police around the world.

Speaking here to the 50th session of graduates and on the 10th anniversary of the ILEA in Budapest, one of three the U.S. State Department funds around the world, Truscott noted that the ILEA was established to “broaden law enforcement learning, and to encourage countries to share experiences across their borders.”

“Many countries contributed their expertise as instructors; many more have come to absorb this knowledge and then take it back to their countries,” he said. “And Americans have been proud to participate in ILEA, both as instructors and as learners.”

“ATF has played a major role in ILEA Budapest for 10 years now by delivering explosives and firearms training to its participants, and by making a crucial contribution in the fight against violent crime and terrorism,” ILEA Director Miles Burden said.

Truscott, who attended the ceremony with FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III, told the graduates that “training is critical to successful law enforcement. …Your presence here is evidence that you, and your agencies, know the value of these opportunities.”

The ATF director noted that the coordinator for the graduating class was an ATF special agent who previously served five months in Iraq as an explosives instructor and mentor to the newly formed Iraqi Police Service. ATF personnel have been in Iraq since 2003 as explosives instructors, as investigators in the Regime Crimes Liaison Office preparing cases against former members of Saddam Hussein’s regime and as explosives detection canine handlers.

“I know that through the guidance of your instructors and mentors, you’ve gained valuable information in your classes here,” Truscott said. “By making the most of your time here, you’ve received a valuable gift. And now its time for you to share this gift with others. By taking your new ideas home and putting them in practice, you can serve your colleagues, your agencies, and your countries.

“At ATF, we greatly value our strong partnerships with other law enforcement agencies, and it is a privilege to recognize ILEA for its example of international partnerships that advance law enforcement worldwide.”

ATF also offers its explosives training at the ILEAs in Gaborone, Botswana, and Bangkok, Thailand, and firearms training in Gaborone as well as Budapest.

 

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