FBI Evidence Response Team Member Alma Ortega (center) show students at the Mexican American Liaison and Law Enforcement Training seminar hosted by the El Paso office recently how to dust a fingerprint.

In the late 1980s, the FBI launched the Mexican American Liaison and Law Enforcement Training, or MALLET, program for Mexican federal and state law enforcement officers from southwest border states. MALLET was instituted to build law enforcement contacts and stronger international cooperation between the FBI’s southwest border offices and the Mexican law enforcement community. Topics for the courses include law enforcement management and investigative techniques. There are at least four MALLET seminars each year.

Border Liaison Officers are FBI supervisory special agents who specifically conduct liaison with their Mexican counterparts. Most FBI divisions along the southwest border have such a liaison officer. They plan the training conducted during MALLET courses depending on identified needs or requests from Mexican law enforcement. The training is conducted by these agents and other police instructors from the FBI.

Programs such as MALLET not only enhance police cooperation but also help our international law enforcement partners identify potential criminal organizations and terrorist activity.