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An Garda Siochana |
| For Immediate Release | FBI National Press Office | |
| January 25, 1999 | Contact: (202) 324-3691 |
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.