President Clinton first promoted the idea of International Law Enforcement Academies (ILEA) before the United Nations in a 1995 speech. He urged that the ILEAs would aid the international community in fighting drug trafficking, crime, and terrorism.

As of 2004, four ILEAs, all funded by the United States State Department, have opened throughout the world. A fifth ILEA has been proposed for Latin America, although no such center has yet been opened. The stated mission of the ILEAs is to support emerging democracies, protect American interests through international cooperation, and to combat crime, thus promoting international stability.

In support of this mission, ILEAs offer law enforcement programs aimed at mid-level officials involved in police and criminal justice work. The State Department works closely with the governments of other nations in implementing the programs. The actual training is provided by personnel from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Department of Justice, and other countries and organizations, like Interpol. As of 2003, the ILEAs had trained more than 8,000 officials from 50 countries.

Current ILEA Centers and Their Specific Missions

The Budapest, Hungary ILEA began in 1995. It targets the independent states of the Former Soviet Union and Eastern European countries. The Budapest Academy has provided specialized training to law enforcement officials on the following topics:

• Mass Destruction
• Alien Smuggling
• Transnational Crimes
• Administration of Justice
• Counter-terrorism
• Anti-corruption
• Explosives Investigations
• Forensic Applications
• Environmental Crimes

In addition to the specialized training, the Budapest facility provides a regular eight-week course covering topics such as law enforcement in new democracies, crime prevention, community policing, money laundering, criminal investigations, and nuclear smuggling.

The Bangkok, Thailand ILEA opened in 1999. This ILEA focuses on the principal threats to that area: illegal drug trafficking, alien smuggling, and financial crimes. Instructors have been from the United States (including Drug Enforcement Authority personnel), Thailand, Holland, Japan, Australia, and Hong Kong. Courses are open to members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, China, Hong Kong, and several other countries.

The Gaborone, Botswana ILEA began in 2001. This ILEA provides a six-week program called the Law Enforcement Executive Development Program. It is aimed at mid-level law enforcement personnel. Topics of instruction at this ILEA include fighting transnational criminal activity, the rule of law in international and domestic police operations, and improving professionalism. The Program is open to the Southern African Development Community and other countries in the sub-Saharan region.

The Roswell, New Mexico, U.S.A. ILEA also began in 2001. This ILEA, which has an international student body, includes criminal justice curriculum that would typically be found in college or university classes. The ILEA teaches four-week courses that are targeted at foreign law enforcement officials. These officials are often selected for participation in the program from the pool of graduates from the other three ILEA programs.

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