International Law Enforcement Exchange Program
Crime doesn’t respect national boundaries. That’s why law enforcement professionals from the United States travel to train their counterparts in other countries to catch transnational criminals.
The United States and its partners have established International Law Enforcement Academies (ILEAs) in Europe, Africa, Central and South America and Asia. There is also an ILEA Regional Training Center in Lima, Peru and an Academic ILEA in Roswell, New Mexico, which offers academic aspects of law enforcement at the “Advanced Management” level.
Internships
Internships provide a practical, on-the-job experience for college students interested in law enforcement. They are an invaluable networking tool that can open doors to future employment and graduate school opportunities.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division implements a Student Internship Program each term with colleges and universities throughout the United States. The program aims to expose several outstanding undergraduate and graduate students to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and encourage their interest in a career in law enforcement.
Upon acceptance, interns work under the direction of a supervisor and receive college credit from their college/university for their internship experience. They must complete a self-evaluation, keep a log diary of hours and activities, and attend the required internship seminars.
ILEA Budapest is an excellent opportunity for college students seeking a career in law enforcement. The program hosts various one- and two-week courses ranging from crime scene investigation to illegal migration and trafficking in persons.
Webinars
Webinars are a great way to provide specialized training to law enforcement professionals worldwide. They are typically instructor-led and can last as little as four weeks. These interactive courses typically feature videos, e-learning modules, podcasts, articles, tests and polls.
Webinars are also a good option for small or remote communities. Using videoconferencing technology, they enable people to connect with speakers from around the globe. They can also be viewed in high definition on dedicated portals that offer interactive features and social media functionality.
Intercultural Training
Many law enforcement professionals travel abroad to train local police officers in different countries. The training is an excellent way to build relationships, expand horizons and gain new insights into criminal justice problems.
In addition, foreign police instructors who participate in these training programs act as ambassadors to their home country, and they bring back new ideas that can help improve police forces here at home.
The International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Roswell is operated on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. It offers advanced management courses for mid-level law enforcement officials from participating foreign countries. It is a critical component of the U.S. effort to combat transnational crime.
ILEAs
International Law Enforcement Academies (ILEAs) were established in 1995 by U.S. President Bill Clinton to bring together international police to reduce crime, combat terrorism and share in knowledge and training. Since then, they have grown to include four regional academies in Europe (Budapest), Africa (Gaborone), Central and South America (San Salvador) and Asia (Bangkok).
INL partners with state and local criminal justice agencies worldwide to train international law enforcement officials. During a recent 4-year period, INL and its state and local criminal justice partners trained 3,100 international law enforcement officials at the five ILEAs.
ILEAs offer a variety of programs, including a core program, specialized courses and regional seminars or workshops. The core program is a six-week series of blocks of instruction tailored to region-specific needs and emerging global threats. The specialized courses are one or two-week courses for selected police officials. The seminars or workshops address emerging law enforcement topics such as transnational crimes, financial crimes and counterterrorism.