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FLETC Dedicates new Counterterrorism Operations Training Facility

Glynco, GA March 19, 2008

The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) held a dedication ceremony for a unique advanced counterterrorism facility today at the FLETC-Glynco site.

The FLETC’s Building 76 is an 88,000-square-foot, multi-venue training site that is a key piece of the FLETC’s Practical Applications/Counterterrorism Operations Training Facility (PA/CTOTF). These facilities are a vital component of the expanded mission and training requirements of FLETC’s more than 80 Partner Organizations.

A former dormitory was converted to simulate a Federal building (including a courthouse, cell block, intake office, detainee processing areas and prisoner interview areas), hotel, motel, crime-scene-investigation apartments, restaurant and tactical training areas. The training venues are intended to replicate real-world settings, and designed to meet the goal of providing trainees with conceivable situations in a controlled training environment.

“The events on September 11 changed the way law enforcement trains by requiring new skills to combat terrorism,” said FLETC Director Connie Patrick. “These facilities were specifically built to allow our Partner Organizations to develop these specialized skills.”

The keynote speaker at the event was Wayne Anderson, Deputy Assistant Director for FLETC’s Charleston Operations, who spoke about his experience working in the World Trade Center complex during the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Anderson ended his speech with the reminder that our country still needs to be vigilant about security, and the danger of becoming complacent.

"Serving in the Secret Service was a lot like having a front seat in history. I can tell you from personal experience that having that front seat is not always desirable. There are many events throughout our history we would like to be able to erase or perhaps to have prevented such as assassinations, world wars, conflicts, and natural disasters. To that list we now add the events of September 11, 2001."

The ceremony also featured a color guard provided by the New York Police Department and The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Force.

FLETC Director Connie Patrick, and several other FLETC Partner Organizations representatives, unveiled the facility’s on-site memorial art piece in honor of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The centerpiece of the memorial is an “I” beam from the World Trade Center, which was donated by the city of New York. The beam is shielded by white marble to represent respect, love and remembrance; nine pieces to the left and 11 pieces to the right. The sculpture was created in remembrance of the tragic events on September 11, 2001.

“Both our training facility and the memorial were shaped by the heroic actions of the law enforcement professional who made the ultimate sacrifice on that fateful autumn day,” said Director Patrick.

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* last modified March 20, 2008 12:58