Guatemalan, Panamanian students graduate from elite federal training program
GLYNCO, Ga. — A class comprised of students from Guatemala and Panama became the latest graduates of the International Taskforce Agent Training (ITAT) program Friday at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco. The ITAT program, hosted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), has successfully trained hundreds of international law enforcement officials from about a dozen countries.
The 24 graduates are joining the fight against transnational criminal organizations after spending nearly three weeks in classroom seminars and practical exercises as part of the ITAT program, which provides vetted foreign law enforcement officers with training similar to that of the HSI’s special agents.
The students, including 12 law enforcement officers from Guatemala and 12 law enforcement officers from Panama, began their training April 28. They join more than 500 other graduates from 31 previous classes who are making a tremendous difference in their home countries.
“The results of this program speak for themselves,” said Assistant Director Lev J. Kubiak, who heads HSI’s International Operations. “In 2014, ITAT graduates working with HSI attaché offices made 466 criminal arrests and seized more than $13 million and nearly 3,000 pounds of cocaine. The ITAT program is achieving incredible results for participating nations.”
“I am very proud of all the students graduating today,” said Director General Omar Pinzon of the Panama National Police. “They will be on the front lines, leading the fight against the violent criminals who threaten our communities and our families. The skills they have sharpened in this class will quickly prove most valuable in this fight.”
HSI instructors delivered a tailored curriculum developed to strengthen the students' ability to conduct criminal investigations. Classes covered investigation and interview techniques, evidence processing and warrant execution. The graduates were also exposed to physical training, defensive tactics and weapons practice.
The graduates are now part of an international law enforcement community that facilitates information sharing and the bilateral investigation of transnational criminal organizations involved in a variety of crimes, including weapons and narcotic trafficking, human smuggling and trafficking, money laundering, cybercrimes and more.
FLETC serves as the largest law enforcement training organization in the United States, training a majority of the federal officers and agents in the country. In addition to providing training for more than 90 federal partner organizations, FLETC also provides training to local, state, tribal and international police in select advanced programs. Approximately 70,000 students graduate from FLETC each year.
Updated: