Towards A More Safe And Secure World – 2019

On April 15^th, 2019 the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center welcomed 64 international visitors from 51 different countries for the annual Towards a More Safe and Secure World initiative. This three-week International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) engaged judicial, law enforcement, and security officials from around the world with U.S counterparts and examined methods for upholding the rule of law, leveraging partnerships, expanding international cooperation, and defeating terrorism.

The international visitors were divided into groups based on their expertise and countries of origin into four separate projects:

• Multi-Regional Project - International Peace and Security
• Multi-Regional Project - Cooperative Efforts in Combating Transnational Crime
• European Regional Project - International Peace and Security
• Western Hemisphere Regional Project - Cooperative Efforts in Combating Transnational Crime

The groups began their program in Washington, DC meeting with top private and public sector security experts before breaking off into their smaller projects to travel to small and mid-sized American cities. In their city splits, participants were able to gain an understanding of public safety and security issues from state and local law enforcement officials, public officials, and social service and victim assistance providers.

All four groups reconvened for their final week of programming in Tampa, FL for a workshop on St. Petersburg College’s Multi-jurisdictional Counter-drug Taskforce Workshop Training Program. The initiative concluded in New York, NY where the international visitors attended the annual Combating Transnational Crime Global Cooperation Conference hosted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation New York Field Office.

Photos

Assistant Secretary for Education and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce greets members of the Transnational Crime MRP at their opening luncheon in Washington, DC.

Plenary briefings for all visitors were held at the U.S Department of State.

International Visitors traveled to Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg to take part in a full-day Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force Training (MCTFT)

Visitors are briefed by National Park Police SWAT at Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Visitors from the MRP International Peace & Security visit with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to discuss coordinated efforts in vice investigations.

Participants in the European Regional group visit Boston Harbor.

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