This week, officers from the national
police agencies of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
are participating in an unprecedented training program at the
FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia. The joint FBI/State Department
Office of Anti- Terrorism Assistance-sponsored program brings
together key middle- and upper-level officers from the Royal
Ulster Constabulary (RUC), the national police of Northern Ireland,
and the Garda Siochana (Garda), Ireland's national police, for
the first time in a joint training setting in the United States.
The attendees are considered to be among the future leaders of
the law enforcement community in both parts of Ireland.
Much of the program will address the new challenges that societal
changes are having on law enforcement in the region. In particular,
the officers will discuss the changing needs of the community
and the interaction between the police and the public in this
new environment. Experts will lead discussions on a range of
topics such as human rights, the recognition of diversity, stress
management, and anti-terrorism and anti-crime strategies.
Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright said, "This program
is an important example of the kind of practical assistance which
the United States can offer in the law enforcement area, and
is indicative of our commitment to a system of policing in Northern
Ireland which enjoys widespread community support."
Attorney General Janet Reno said, "Through joint training,
we can improve coordination, enhance cooperation and ensure greater
understanding between law enforcement officers."
FBI Director Louis J. Freeh, who will address the group later
in the week, said, "The FBI is proud to provide a forum
not only for learning and discussion, but for the development
of professional and personal relationships. These 'cop-to-cop'
relationships provide the foundation of better understanding
and greater law enforcement cooperation on both sides of the
border."
Freeh said that he was grateful for the leadership and financial
support of the U.S. Department of State in this historic undertaking.
The heads of the two Irish police agencies, RUC Chief Constable
Sir Ronnie Flanagan and Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne, will join
their officers for the training program at Quantico.
The Garda and the RUC have for many years enjoyed a high level
of cross-border contact and cooperation. While the two forces
have functioned well and achieved excellent results, there are
inevitably some differences in technique and procedures. As a
result of this experience, both chiefs welcomed the opportunity
for additional joint training in order to become more acquainted
with models of law enforcement in the U.S. Byrne and Flanagan
requested that Director Freeh sponsor a training program for
mid- level managers of both forces, towards the goal of improving
skills and enhancing cross- border cooperation across a range
of areas relating to law enforcement.
The FBI worked closely with the State Department to design a
program to be conducted at the FBI Academy. Both Flanagan and
Byrne are graduates of the FBI National Academy, an 11-week,
multi-disciplinary course of study for police managers from across
the country and around the world. The two chiefs also attended
the FBI's advanced National Executive Institute, an executive
training program designed for the heads of major police agencies.
While a number of officers from Northern Ireland and the Republic
of Ireland have attended the National Academy and participated
in other training at Quantico, this week's session is the first
joint effort directed at the evolving law enforcement challenges
in both parts of Ireland.
The Quantico program is part of a ongoing series of joint training
that will include additional practical exercises in community
policing with major city police departments as well as programs
in Northern Ireland and in the Republic.
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