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Atlanta Police Head Out to Timor-Leste
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 Lt. Scott Gourley of the Atlanta Police Department discusses curriculum issues with Sargento Chefe Constantino Magno of the Policia Nacional Timor-Leste (PNTL). |
Lieutenant Scott Gourley of the Atlanta Police Department arrived in Timor-Leste on May 26 to assess specific training needs, develop training curriculum, and teach investigative skills. After his six-month deployment, Lieutenant Gourley will pass the baton to his colleague, Sergeant Warren Pickard, in November 2012. The Atlanta Police Department Officers will be working closely with the Australian Federal Police’s Timor-Leste Police Development Program.
 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with Major-General Artur Osikian, Deputy Chief of Police in Armenia, after Osikian Won the "Government Reformer" award. |
In her remarks at the ceremony, which also recognized leading Armenian human rights activists, Secretary Clinton said, “The men and women we honor here today have toiled and sacrificed to make human rights a reality for the people of Armenia. Their stories show us that solutions to big problems can start with the actions of one or a few people. Change begins with a group of courageous activists who fight to stop environmental degradation so Armenians can live healthier lives, begins with journalists who raise awareness about human rights violations, and a dedicated public servant who pushes the police force to reform.”
 Deputy Chief of Mission Michael J. Fitzpatrick, the Executive Director of the Peruvian anti-drug policy agency DEVIDA Carmen Masias, and Circo Etno founder Cesar Aedo with performers after the inaugural performance on June 20. |
Before the performance, a short video incorporating a broader anti-drug education message is shown to each audience of almost 1,000 students. The video tells the story of two of the performers who grew up in poor districts of Lima where drugs and violence are rampant. Through their perseverance and decision not to fall victim to the vicious cycle of drug use and addiction, these two young men became successful artists, and now serve as role models in their communities.
The U.S. Embassy provided $50,000 for the transportation of 15,000 children to the Circo Etno shows and other cultural activities. Many of these children had never been to a performance of this quality or scale, and have little opportunity to see Lima outside their own neighborhoods.
 Front row center: U.S. Ambassador to Peru Rose M. Likins, Executive President of DEVIDA Carmen Masias and Director of ILEA San Salvador Michael Perkins with participants and instructors at the opening ceremony of the women's leadership course. |
This leadership course lays the foundation for developing effective law enforcement leaders. It helps the participants apply skills essential to building credibility and to apply exemplary practices of highly effective leaders. The course views law enforcement leadership from a female perspective and focuses on issues such as creating a positive and motivating work environment, countering gender stereotypes, leadership personalities, strengths and weaknesses, career planning, and goals.
In Bangkok, U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Kristie Kenney gave opening remarks to 46 students from 10 countries across the South- East Asian region. In Lima, U.S. Ambassador Likins, underscored the critical role gender equality and female empowerment play in global development, as well as peace and security, to 40 female judges, prosecutors, police, and customs officials from Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Brazil, and Peru.
First launched at ILEA Budapest last year, this course has become popular, and will be held again next year at all the regional academies.
The project was the latest event in a partnership with the Austrian Ministry of Interior (MOI) that began in 2008. The head of the Austrian MOI’s Canine Training Center, Chief Inspector Josef Schuetzenhofer, has instructed for all of these courses, training participants from every law enforcement and security agency in Kazakhstan using the Austrian method of K9 training, which emphasizes positive reinforcement.
Since 2008, Mr. Schutzenhofer has trained 16 Kazakhstani K9 instructors in detection of narcotics and explosives, as well as in use of force against criminal and terrorist suspects. Those instructors now train over 100 handlers and dogs each year at their own agencies, creating an increasingly sustainable and self-sufficient program in Kazakhstan.
After seeing INL’s project in action, several regional police departments have subsequently committed their own funding to establish their own canine programs.
In cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), INL Astana has also funded the purchase of 18 specially-bred dogs from Austria, who have since produced over 100 offspring; many of them are now also at work and responsible for several major drug seizures in Kazakhstan in recent years.
 Injured child in South Sudan. |
In May, Assistant Secretary William R. Brownfield participated in the graduation ceremony for a group of trainees under the NATO-Russia Council’s Counternarcotics Training Project. The ceremony took place at a Russian Federal Drug Control Service’s (FSKN) training center outside St. Petersburg. The event included a live demonstration of the FSKN Special Operations Forces, which conducted hand-to-hand combat drills, and demonstrated a raid on an apartment building and the interception of automobiles suspected of smuggling drugs.
This year’s class included the 2000th graduate of the program. This highly successful NRC project was the only one that was not suspended in response to the Russian incursion into Georgia in 2008. Since 2006, the project has trained more than 2000 officers from Afghanistan, Pakistan and the five Central Asian republics; with Afghans comprising the largest cohort, numbering approximately 500.
 Youth at U.S.-Bahamas "Youth Express" camp. |
The camp urged the future leaders to stand up to negative peer pressure and become agents of positive change within their schools and communities. Activities concluded with a ceremony on June 29, at the Royal Bahamas Defense Force Base in Coral Harbour. Campers used their talents – from spoken word to dance – to express their concerns and feelings about the societal ills that illegal drugs precipitated and how they can counteract these problems in their communities.
The U.S. Chargé d’Affaires John Armstrong and officials from the Bahamian Ministry of National Security spoke at the closing event. Between intensive leadership development sessions, the students, ages 11-15, met Governor General of The Bahamas, Sir Arthur Alexander Foulkes, and received a tour of Government House. Campers also recorded “jams” with renowned Bahamian recording artist and songwriter Terneille (TaDa) Burrows, witnessed an Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos helicopter demonstration, learned about their regional counternarcotics and search and rescue operations, and took part in a question and answer session with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Bahamas Police Force hosted the youth for lunch at Police Headquarters, and they received an all-access tour of Her Majesty’s Prison.
 New pilot international police assistance program. |
In the first phase of the program, two Armenian police officials participated in an eight-week study fellowship at the American University in Washington, DC and a practicum with the Fairfax County Police Department. During their fellowship, the two officials developed a proposal to introduce various aspects of community policing to Armenia’s provinces. U.S. municipal law enforcement agencies play an increasingly important role in carrying out INL’s international criminal justice mission. Fairfax County Police Department’s involvement in IPET has given the Armenian police officials firsthand exposure to U.S. approaches to community policing.
In May, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)—INL’s implementing partner—and Fairfax County Police Officials visited Armenia to meet with Armenian Police officials to discuss the proposed community policing reforms.
For the second phase in August, those same U.S. police mentors will visit Armenia to help the fellows implement the reforms, followed by subsequent deployment of mobile development teams from the United States to further mentor the two fellows.
The IPET program is one key part of a comprehensive INL program that will establish real institutional reform within Armenian law enforcement—promoting public trust, and improving the effectiveness of law enforcement and its ability to investigate and reduce crime.
 Brian Nichols, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for INL, and Moldovan General Secretary Victor Bodiu shake hands after signing an agreement pledging an additional $2.4 million in aid to help rule of law development in Moldova. |
With a particular emphasis on supporting justice sector and law enforcement reforms, combating corruption, trafficking in persons, and organized crime, this agreement builds on the strong partnership between the two countries.
The United States first signed its Agreement on Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement with Moldova on August 28, 2001. Since that time, the United States has provided approximately $14 million for criminal justice system assistance through this program. This assistance helped train judges, prosecutors, and police; provided vehicles and other equipment to law enforcement agencies; and assisted in renovating and refurbishing the Center for Combating Trafficking in Persons.
 Central Prison Directorate officials from Afghanistan pictured during a training session in Canon City, Colorado. |
The program brings retired U.S. law enforcement experts, Colombian National Police (CNP), and other advisors together to assist in reforming key policing areas, such as the adoption of a modern police philosophy, the use of technology to compile and analyze crime statistics, internal affairs and personnel integrity, and assistance for the reform of police academies and their training curricula. In 2011, more than 700 members of Central American police departments received formal training through the program. The majority of this training focused on leadership and instructor development.
In Costa Rica, the national police restructured its entire entry-level academy curriculum with the help of combined U.S. and Colombian police advisor teams. In Guatemala, Panamanian police teamed with Colombian police and U.S. experts to develop a mid-level management course. The Central American police reform program is teaming with the Narcotics Affairs Section (NAS) at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala and CNP to help the Guatemalan Police Reform Commission restructure the national police.
In Panama and Costa Rica, the NAS offices are using CARSI funds to purchase over 300 computers equipped with criminal statistics and workflow management software applications that were developed by advisors to the Central American police reform program. This will enable identification of crime “hot spots” and the intelligence-driven assignment of police resources to address these areas. At the same time, accountability procedures are being developed within both police forces to identify corruption. This new model will be the first of its kind in the region and may provide a model for other countries.
This regional program has integrated more than 12 U.S. advisors and 52 CNP advisors and trainers as well as several Panamanian National Police to provide a consistent presence in the region and push forward important law enforcement development and training initiatives.
 A training course in financial investigations for Montenegrin prosecutors, police investigators, tax and customs inspectors and financial analysts and auditors. |
As a result of the training, the participants are now well-prepared to jointly investigate the financial crimes that are a major component of organized crime and corruption cases in Montenegro. In addition to increasing the skill level of the Montenegrin participants, the training created a strong link between Montenegrin police, the prosecutors, and the IRS.
