“Police Professionalization Exchange Program for Mexico”
Global Ties U.S. Grant Project - 2019 & 2020
2022 "Law Enforcement & Security Exchange Program"
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This special program, developed under the Merida Initiative and carried out through the US State Department Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) and Global Ties U.S. in Washington, has trained hundreds of Mexican law enforcement officials in state-of-the-art police techniques over the past four years. World Partnerships was awarded this unique project based on the strength of our longstanding IVLP professional collaborations with the St. Petersburg Police Department and the St. Petersburg College Center for Public Safety Innovation.
Fifteen (15) law enforcement officials from Mexico spent August 5-6, 2019 with SPPD, the St. Petersburg College Center for Public Safety Innovation, and the Tampa Bay Rays for their Police Professionalization Exchange Program (PPEP). The 2019 project focused on field operations and community policing. |
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Special thanks to Congressman Charlie Crist, St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman, and United States General Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez for the time they spent with these visitors. Thank you also to Chief Anthony Holloway, his assistant chiefs, and all of the St. Petersburg Police Department team for the in-depth, hands-on experiences they shared, and to the bi-lingual SPPD officers who provided community policing ride-alongs; to Executive Director Eileen LaHaie and instructor Robert Alphonso, St. Petersburg College Center for Public Safety Innovation; and to Jim Previtera, Director of Security, and the Tampa Bay Rays for their stadium security and emergency management overview and a great baseball game!
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In 2020, World Partnerships again collaborated with the St. Petersburg Police Department to produce a virtual PPEP training video to encourage and strengthen the role of women in law enforcement. Ms. Yolanda Fernandez, SPPD Community Awareness Division Manager and a former senior Tampa Bay television reporter, organized a leadership discussion with two women leaders from the Department, Major Shannon Halstead and Major Patrice Hubbard, both department division commanders. Their discussion focused on leadership diversity, community equity, the evolving role of women law enforcement leaders, and the evolution of community policing and the role that accountability plays in making it successful.
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In 2022, World Partnerships was asked by Global Ties U.S. to engage the St. Petersburg Police Department to conduct two virtual sessions on "Community Policing and Community Engagement" under the successor program to the PPEP - the "Law Enforcement & Security Exchange Program." These sessions were held on August 2 and December 8, 2022 with a total audience of over 100 Mexican law enforcement officials. Leading the discussions were SPPD Chief Anthony Holloway, and Rev. Kenneth Irby, SPPD Community Intervention Director.
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