Journal of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers

VOLUME 9 | FALL 2011

INSIDE

LEOs DEATH ON THE HIGHWAY:

The Major Cause that 

FLETC Tackles Head on

PAGE 6

PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL:

The 26th Annual Service Held 

at the FLETC

PAGE 25

YOUR GUIDE TO THE FLETC AT IACP: 

What LEOs & Executives Should Know 

PAGE 11
Inside this issue

CONNIE PATRICK

FLETC Director

Officer safety and survival is always a key aspect of training law enforcement personnel. 

Here at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, we want officers and agents to 

have practiced skills enough that when faced with a situation on the job, they will act 

appropriately and without hesitation. We don’t want them to experience something the first 

time when in the field, especially a high risk incident that could cause injury or death. 

In the last few years, we have observed with concern that the number of vehicle crashes has 

become the leading cause of death and injury among law enforcement officers nationwide. 

And last year then-President Mark A. Marshall of IACP focused us on the fact that the 

number of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in the United States increased 

by 38 percent in 2010. This included dramatic jumps in the number killed by gunfire: up 24 

percent; and those killed in traffic crashes: up 43 percent. 

Along with the IACP and other training-oriented institutions, we want to study this statistic by 

modifying training to see if we can affect the outcome in a positive way. As you’ll see in the 

lead article, “Safety First: FLETC Takes Distracted Driving Head On,” by Jeff DuPont, there 

are two main factors which contribute to law enforcement crashes: distracted driving and 

poor decision making. 

FLETC is doing several things to provide training to better prepare its students. We have 

changed to a combined skills range which features all of the driving challenges one would 

find on a roadway: on and off ramps, intersections, traffic lights, and graded bridges. 

While driving safely negotiating these standard features, FLETC students must ignore the 

distracters of sirens, lights, and radio communications – sending and receiving. As noted, 

we want them to integrate those tasks here so they are comfortable and competent when it 

happens to them in the field. 

Another way we better prepare our students is through the use of simulators. There are 

several advantages to simulated training – it can be done anytime, anywhere, and we 

can add elements of danger to an exercise that would be too dangerous in a live exercise. 

Our driver simulators can add elements of snow, rain, traffic congestion, and unexpected 

obstacles to prepare students for the complex environments they’ll be driving in. 

As we start a new fiscal year in the government, I want to encourage all FLETC staff to meet 

the challenge of taking a close look at the circumstances surrounding these incidents, and 

do everything within our considerable power to turn those numbers – those injuries and 

deaths of our fellow officers – completely around. 

As you read the wide range of articles in the FLETC Journal, I want to thank the FLETC 

staff who are so devoted to sharing their knowledge with others – on-Center and in the 

law enforcement community at large. I have often said there is no other place in the world 

where there’s such a collection of talented and dedicated people as at the FLETCs in 

Glynco, Ga.; Artesia, N.M.; Charleston, S.C.; Cheltenham, Md.; and the International Law 

Enforcement Academies. Thank you to the talented individuals who spend endless hours 

putting this Journal together as a collateral duty. For over eight years that the Journal 

has been published, you have provided an important service to our fellow FLETC staff 

members and the hundreds of other trainers who are always wanting to improve training 

by making it realistic and mentoring the students – our next generation of law enforcement 

professionals. 

Connie L. Patrick

Director 
CONTENTS

6

Safety First: NHTSA study prompts the FLETC to 

rethink its law enforcement drivers training programs

11

OTC Technical Surveillance Countermeasures: A 

danger to Law Enforcement Officers

13

Latest Simulation Technologies: FLETC holds IACP 

CBT labs for Protective Service Operations

14

Online Crimes and Investigations: What Every Law 

Enforcement Executive Should Know and Expect

17

Maritime Piracy and Terrorism:

A Threat to Global Trade and Economy

25

The 26th Annual Peace Officers Memorial: Service at 

the FLETC

29

Fit for Training versus Fit for Duty: A look into the 

FLETC’s Physical Standards Test

32

Training for Reality: How the FLETC’s marine training 

paid off for two U.S. Border Patrol agents on Lake 

Ontario

35

Partner Organization Spotlight: Immigration and 

Customs Enforcement trains international students at 

the FLETC

38

Legal Corner: Vehicular Search Incident to Arrest after 

Gant

43

The FLETC Awards Honor Graduate of the Year: 

Eric Heiple, U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division

23 The Police Unity Tour: ICE team leads the way on a 250 mile journey

Police Unity Tour members unite hands before 

embarking on their 250 mile bicycle journey
4 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

Director

Connie L. Patrick

Editorial Team

Dominick Braccio

Stephen W. Brooks

Jeff DuPont

Preston Farley

Alicia Gregory

Ed McGuire

Bobby Masano

William Norris, Ph.D.

Susan B. Thornton

Kelly Yanko

Design

Fred Charles

The Journal is an unofficial law enforcement 

training magazine produced and published by 

the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers. 

It is published and printed through the Media 

Support Division in conjunction with the 

Government Printing Office. The circulation is 

4,000 and is also available electronically by 

following the links at the FLETC website: http://

www.fletc.gov.

Views and opinions expressed in this publication 

are those of the authors, and do not necessarily 

reflect the FLETC training policy or doctrine. 

Articles, photographs, and other contributions 

are welcomed from the law enforcement training 

community and academia. Publication depends 

on general topical interest as judged by the 

editors. No changes to submitted copy will be 

made without the concurrence of the author(s). 

The editors may be contacted at 912.267.2429.

SAFETY FIRST AND

TRAINING FOR REALITY

Jeff DuPont presently serves as the 

Program Specialist in the Driver and 

Marine Division’s Marine Training Branch. 

Since joining FLETC in 2004, DuPont has 

served as a Driving Instructor and as a 

Senior Instructor in the MTB. DuPont has 

over 15 years of uniformed service as a 

Sheriff’s deputy and as a trooper with the 

Georgia State Patrol.

DuPont is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and 

also holds a U.S. Coast Guard Merchant 

Mariner’s master’s license. He has a 

bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and is 

currently enrolled in the master’s program 

at Troy University.

SIMULATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR 

PROTECTIVE SERVICES OPERATIONS

Lloyd Broadwater is a 25-year veteran 

of federal law enforcement. He served 

for over 18-years as a Special Agent with 

the U.S. State Department, Diplomatic 

Security Service, working countless 

protective service details. His career 

with Diplomatic Security also included 

specialized assignments, such as the 

Department’s Mobile Security Division and 

as a member of the Miami Joint Terrorism 

Task Force during 9/11. 

He is currently a Senior Instructor with 

the Federal Law Enforcement Training 

Centers’ Counterterrorism Division and is 

the coordinator for the Protective Service 

Operations Training Program.

OTC COUNTERMEASURES 

TECHNOLOGIES 

Curtis Shane is the Chief of the Law 

Enforcement Technologies Branch, 

Technical Operations Division. He 

manages the following training operations: 

Digital Photography for Law Enforcement, 

Covert Electronic Surveillance, Covert 

Electronic Tracking, Internet Protocol 

Camera, Recovery of Evidence from CCTV 

Video Recordings, and the Basic Digital 

Photography and Video program.

Preceeding his assignment to the 

LET-TOD Shane was the Chief of the 

Forensics Branch, Forensics and 

Investigative Technologies Division, where 

he had served as the Senior Instructor for 

Forensics Investigations.

Shane’s law enforcement career began 

in 1970 when he joined the U.S. Park 

Police. He left the patrol branch in 1973 

to help create the Identification Unit of the 

Criminal Investigations Branch where he 

served until his promotion to Sergeant, 

Field Offices Division, San Francisco Field 

Office in 1988. While assigned to the 

SFFO he served in various supervisory and 

management positions ultimately retiring 

as the Operations Commander in 1993. 

Shane was the first U.S. Park Police officer 

assigned to the Presidio of San Francisco 

as the law enforcement liaison prior to its 

conversion from a military installation to 

part of the National Park Service. 

Before joining the FLETC in 1995 Shane 

was a forensic scientist with the Naval 

Criminal Investigative Service in Norfolk, 

Va.

MARITIME PIRACY & TERRORISM: 

A THREAT TO GLOBAL TRADE

Dominic Traina is a Customs and Border 

Protection Supervisor/Course Developer 

Instructor detailed to the Federal Law 

Enforcement Training Centers’, Physical 

Techniques Division. He also has served 

as an military policeman in the Marine 

Corps. He holds a bachelor’s degree from 

Loyola University in New Orleans and 

a master’s of science in international 

relations and national security from Troy 

University in Alabama. 

POLICE UNITY TOUR AND ICE TRAINS 

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS

Dani Bennett is the Acting Director for 

Public Affairs, Southeast Region, for U.S. 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement 

(ICE) and is based in Tampa, Fla. She 

joined ICE Public Affairs in March of 2010. 

Prior to that, she was a senior account 

C O N T R I B U T O R S

Journal

VOLUME 9 ISSUE 2 | FALL 2011

of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 5

executive at a Florida public relations and 

public affairs firm where she worked with 

clients in a range of industries. She also 

served eight years combined as an active 

duty and reserve public affairs officer in 

the U.S. Air Force, with tours in Tucson, 

Ariz.; the Azores; Dayton, Ohio; Doha, 

Qatar; and Charleston, S.C. She has an 

undergraduate degree in communications 

from the University of Florida and a 

master’s degree in English from Wright 

State University in Ohio.

FIT FOR TRAINING 

VERSUS FIT FOR DUTY

Charles “Skeet” Brewer has over 

24 years experience with the federal 

government serving at the FLETC. He 

currently serves as the Branch Chief, 

Physical Techniques Division. 

Brewer’s past positions at the FLETC 

have included: Branch Chief, Health and 

Fitness Branch, Physical Techniques 

Division; Law Enforcement Program 

Specialist; Senior Instructor; Lead 

Instructor; Athletic Trainer/Instructor, in 

the PTD.

Dr. Bill Norris is branch chief of the 

Training Research Branch at the FLETC, 

and is responsible for identifying and 

developing innovative methodologies that 

impact law enforcement training. 

Norris is a subject matter expert in 

the area of human performance in law 

enforcement activities, developed the 

PEB2002 fitness guidelines, established 

an extensive database of fitness scores, 

and published numerous journal articles 

and a textbook. He is a certified Health/

Fitness Director and Exercise Specialist 

through the American College of Sports 

Medicine.

Norris received his bachelors of science 

and masters of science degrees with 

specialization in Exercise Science from 

the University of Akron, and his doctorate 

in Exercise Physiology from the Ohio State 

University. 

26TH ANNUAL PEACE OFFICERS 

MEMORIAL SERVICE AT THE FLETC

Alicia Gregory is a Public Affairs Specialist 

at the FLETC. She arrived at the FLETC in 

2005 after 13 years as a public affairs 

specialist with the U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers. 

While with the Corps’ Charleston, S.C. 

District, she served as the District’s public 

affairs officer. Gregory has an extensive 

background in Army Public Affairs, 

communication techniques, and media 

relations. 

In addition to attending the Defense 

Information School in Fort Meade, MD, 

Gregory attended Armstrong Atlantic 

State University and South University in 

Savannah, GA, where she graduated with 

a bachelor’s of arts degree in marketing. 

LEGAL CORNER:

VEHICULAR SEARCH INCIDENT 

TO ARREST AFTER GANT

Jim McAdams retired from the 

Department of Justice in 2006 after 25 

years of service and soon thereafter 

joined the FLETC Legal Division as a 

Senior Instructor. He graduated cum laude 

from the University of Miami School of 

Law in 1981 and from Davidson College in 

North Carolina in 1970. While at the DOJ, 

he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney and later 

Senior Litigation Counsel for the Southern 

District of Florida, where he also served 

as the Chief of the Narcotics Division 

in Miami and later as the Managing 

Assistant of the District’s Office in West 

Palm Beach. In 1992, during President 

George H.W. Bush’s administration, he 

was appointed by Attorney General Bill 

Bar as Acting United States Attorney for 

the Southern District of Florida. From 

1994 to 1997, during the President Bill 

Clinton administration, he served as 

Attorney General on Janet Reno’s Counsel 

for Intelligence Policy and headed DOJ’s 

Office of Intelligence Policy and Review. 

He was also a member of the prosecution 

teams in the cases of United States v. 

Manuel Noriega, United States v. Fabio 

Ochoa, and United States v. Hernandez, et 

al., a case against five Cuban intelligence 

officers convicted in Miami of espionage 

and murder conspiracy.

Bennett DuPont Gregory Norris Traina
6 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

Safety First

FLETC Takes Distracted Driving Head On

BY JEFF DUPONT

FLETC DRIVER MARINE TRAINING
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 7

TWO MAIN FACTORS CONTRIBUTE 

TO LAW ENFORCEMENT CRASHES: 

DISTRACTED DRIVING AND POOR 

DECISION MAKING

“We train those who 

protect our homeland.”

This is the mission of the Federal Law 

Enforcement Training Centers. Our core values: 

Respect, Integrity, Service and Excellence. 

By combining our core values and mission 

statement, one can expect exceptional training 

when attending one of the many FLETC 

training programs. The FLETC has always 

accepted the challenge to provide the absolute 

best training available. In order to accomplish 

this task, the organization has to be attentive 

to the constant changes in law enforcement 

procedures and their application in the field. 

Professional trainers must recognize how 

changes such as policy, procedure and legal 

rulings can affect agents and officers. Trainers 

must ensure that students are proficient in their 

skills so that when reality kicks in and it’s no 

longer a training scenario - they are ready. In 

other words, is the training being offered the 

best that we can give them to help fulfill their 

duty in the field? Does it protect officers and 

agents who use the training when put to the 

test? If a training gap or conflict is identified, 

how quickly can the training be modified so that 

our core values of Respect, Integrity, Service and 

Excellence are maintained?

Shortly after assuming the helm of the Driver 

and Marine Division at FLETC’s Glynco site, 

Chief Bruce P. Brown began exploring probable 

changes in DMD’s existing training programs 

after a statistic in the 2010 release of the Federal 

Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Report 

caught his attention. According to the report, 

“Motor vehicle crashes led all categories of death 

and injury among law enforcement officers 

nationwide.” That single, sobering statement 

set the wheels in motion for the DMD to do 

a self-assessment to determine if the training 

that was being provided was actually addressing 

the factors that contributed to law enforcement 

crashes and, “Are we doing all that we can do 

to save officers’ lives in the field?” Brown asked 

himself. 

Chief Brown began by assembling a working 

group to indentify the key contributing factors 

related to law enforcement motor vehicle 

crashes. The working group concentrated on 

gathering data from the top 10 crash producing 

states and then identifying the principal causes 

of law enforcement crashes through information 

collected from the inquires. In January 2011, 

shortly after the working group began its 

study, the National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration coincidentally released its report 

titled “Characteristics of Law Enforcement 

Officers’ Fatalities in Motor Vehicle Crashes.” 

This 47-page report detailed the results of a 28- 

year study of law enforcement accident statistics. 

NHTSA investigated 1,441 law enforcement 

fatality vehicle crashes that occurred between 

1980 and 2008. One of the most distressing 

statistics that was detailed in the NHTSA report 

stated that during the 28 year period of the 

study, “Law Enforcement fatalities by other than 

motor vehicle crashes decreased by 42% while 

fatalities by motor vehicle crashes increased 

141%.” The initial findings of DMD’s working 

group mirrored many of the same characteristics 

and contributing factors that were noted in the 

NHTSA report. NHTSA’s report was very in 

depth. It included information that could only 

be attained through the lengthy and scientific 

approach covering that extended period of time. 

NHTSA’s report also included important data 

such as: types of vehicles, time of day, traffic 

patterns/density, weather conditions, roadway 
8 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

conditions and types of environment, just to 

name a few. 

In addition to the NHTSA study, Chief 

Brown also took note of a similar study that 

was conducted by the California POST 

Commission. The California study analyzed a 

15- year period of data that was compiled by 

reviewing the effectiveness of simulator training 

and other methods of law enforcement driver 

training. The results of that study produced 

some startling results. Officers who were trained 

exclusively on EVOC, (emergency vehicle 

operator course) were credited with a 4% 

reduction in collisions. Officers who were trained 

solely on simulators demonstrated a considerably 

greater reduction of collisions, at 8%. But, the 

most noteworthy bit of information that was 

revealed is that officers who were trained with 

both methods; EVOC and simulators, proved 

to be the greatest beneficiaries by decreasing 

collision rates by 10%. With that data, Chief 

Brown decided to rely upon the NHTSA and 

California Post studies as the foundation for the 

reorganization and revision of much of DMD’s 

Driver Training philosophies.

In January 2011, DMD conducted an 

evaluation of its own programs, which revealed 

that DMD did in fact offer a great deal of crash 

avoidance and other relative driver training, 

but the results of the NHTSA and California 

reports suggested that there were training 

deficiencies that did not address the two main 

factors contributing to law enforcement crashes: 

distracted driving and poor decision making. 

From this assessment, DMD decided it needed 

to address the deficiencies by adding new and 

innovative training to its current curriculum. 

With the newly acquired information gained 

from the two studies, Chief Brown outlined a 

three-phase proposal to refocus DMD’s training, 

ensuring priority issues were being met in 

all three major training programs: Criminal 

Investigator Training Program, Uniformed 

Police Training Program and Land Management 

Training Program. 

Chief Brown explained that phase one will 

begin with a review of all existing simulation 

exercises, as well as the development of new 

exercises to address the area of collision 

avoidance between vehicles and stationary 

objects. Phase two will present the training 

scenarios to the students, focusing on the newly 

created exercises that will re-emphasize crash 

avoidance and collision survivability with the 

addition of proper law enforcement tactics. The 

phase two scenarios will also introduce common 

distracters such as secondary radio traffic, 

PDA usage, animal and pedestrian traffic, cell 

phones and in car computer usage. Lastly, phase 

three will consist of students demonstrating 

newly acquired simulated driving and decision 

making skills in actual driving exercises on one 

of DMD’s newly renovated “combined skills” 

driving ranges.

 The new combined skills ranges are vastly 

different from the previous driving ranges. 

DMD now features two fully operational 

combined skills ranges and construction has just 

begun for a third range, with a completion date 

estimated sometime early next year. The new 

versions each feature approximately 1.5 miles 

of a “rural driving” area which encompasses an 

additional 1.1 miles of urban driving. Each range 

is situated on approximately 65-75 acre tracts of 

land. The urban area of the course is constructed 

in a rectangular grid configuration and provides 

realistic props common to a municipal setting. 

Among these include: street signs, traffic 

signals, common roadway signs and markers, 

multiple roadway surfaces, as well as interstate 

on and off ramps. The ranges also afford the 

students additional challenges such as elevation 

and grade changes, surface variation, off-road 

recovery areas and an off-road 4x4 course. The 

newly designed programs will utilize training 

which will also include driving with oncoming 

or opposing traffic and intersection clearing 

with “opposing vehicles” that will be driven by 

DMD instructors. Students can be dispatched 

to various areas on the ranges to respond to 

some common law enforcement scenarios while 

MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES LED 

ALL CATEGORIES OF DEATH AND 

INJURY AMONG LAW ENFORCEMENT 

OFFICERS NATIONWIDE.
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 9

maintaining radio contact with dispatchers 

and other units. This training replicates real life 

situations that students will face upon entry into 

active duty. In addition to these possibilities, 

vehicle training in surveillance techniques such 

as parallel and leapfrogging techniques can also 

be accomplished.

The introduction of new aspects of driver 

training certainly will not replace many of the 

skills that are presently being taught in driver 

training programs. Skills such as high speed 

emergency response driving, apex driving, 

skid control, threshold braking and vehicle 

dynamics will still very much be part of the 

DMD curriculum. But with the completion and 

implementation of the combined skills ranges, 

the training that DMD will offer will be more 

comprehensive and still include the “core” vehicle 

handling and driving skills that are currently 

being taught. Vehicle dynamics are a critical 

element of driver training that CANNOT be 

simulated. Students need to feel the weight 

transfer of a vehicle and how it responds 

accordingly when placed under various stressors. 

DMD presently allows students to utilize the 

entire roadway or to drive in the opposing lane...

when it is safe to do so! Permitting high speed 

turns while utilizing both lanes of traffic places 

tremendous stress on the student vehicles and it 

emphasizes what weight transfer actually feels 

like to the student driver. Whole-road driving 

will now be more restrictive but won’t be entirely 

eliminated from the curriculum. The combined 

skills ranges now feature yellow and white 

centerline marks, just as one would encounter on 

an actual highway or interstate. Although they 

are often observed while driving, many drivers 

fail to make the distinction between the different 

colored centerline marks. Yellow lines separate 

opposing lanes of traffic while white signifies a 

separation of same direction traffic lanes. It will 

now be up to the student to determine if it will 

be safe to utilize the entire roadway, emphasizing 

good decision making.

Prior to implementing the three phase 

plan, a Simulator Instructor Branch was 

created and placed under the direction of 

Branch Chief Walter Burns. Creating the SIB 

branch and staffing it with regular, proactive 

staff members who have high aptitudes and 

passion for simulations training will increase 

the functionality and efficiency of the driving 

simulator training, creating a better learning 

environment for the students. The SIB presently 

consists of Branch Chief Burns along with 

eight designated instructors. The SIB currently 

manages 52 driving simulators and 24 marine 

simulators. In addition to their duties of 

providing all of the simulations training, the 

SIB staff is also tasked with maintaining, 

troubleshooting, repairing, and upgrading 

the high-tech simulators and their associated 

components.

 An additional advantage of maintaining 

a full-time simulation staff is its ability to 

minimize Simulator Adaptation Syndrome 

or SAS which is also commonly referred to as 

simulator sickness. SAS is similar to sea sickness 

in its causes and symptoms. SAS is caused by 

system delays between the simulator operator’s 

command or input, and the simulator’s response 

to that input. The body expects a certain 

response in return from the student’s input. If 

there is a deviation or lag between the input 

and the response, the brain becomes confused 

and reacts accordingly. Different people react 

differently from bouts of SAS. Some instructors 

or students do not exhibit any signs of the 

sickness at all. But for those who do, the most 

common symptoms include headache, nausea, 

dizziness and disorientation. SAS isn’t exclusive 

to driving simulators and can be experienced 

on any type of simulation, including video 

games. The good news is that SAS can be 
10 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

controlled. The body is able to adapt to SAS in 

a short period of time and is able to distinguish 

simulations from reality. In a sense, the body is 

able to recognize simulations and the brain can 

quickly “reboot” itself to avoid SAS. The SIB 

staff has already adapted to potential bouts of 

SAS and has created exercises for newcomers 

and students which gradually exposes them 

to simulator exercises and decreases their 

vulnerability to SAS.

Chief Brown stressed simulator based training 

is not designed to replace actual driving or to 

even teach a student how to drive, but first and 

foremost, that simulations training reinforces 

decision making skills. Driver simulation 

scenarios can develop a student’s cognitive 

abilities through simulated exercises, which may 

be difficult or impossible to recreate in actual 

driving scenarios. Simulation exercises can 

also recreate actual events that have occurred 

in the field and students can be trained in an 

identical, but simulated version of a real incident. 

The simulators are unique in the sense that 

training can be accomplished without the risk 

of injury to students or staff, or a risk of damage 

to vehicles or other property. With simulation 

training, the student gets more “wheel time” 

without increased wear and tear on the training 

vehicle fleet. In addition to minimizing risk 

management and reducing the environmental 

impact of other traditional training methods, 

simulation training also offers a valuable training 

tool partly because of the capability for the 

instructional staff to instantly replay a student’s 

recorded training scenario for critique and 

evaluation, which offers a much more thorough 

after-action report. 

The newly formed SIB will bring the driving 

simulators under the same roof as the marine 

training simulators, presently being managed 

by Senior Instructor John Floyd. The marine 

simulators have already been successfully 

integrated into two of the Marine Training 

Branch programs and have been well received by 

many of the students who have completed one 

or more of the MTB training programs. As with 

the driving simulators, the marine simulators 

do not replace actual boat driving skills. They 

are primarily utilized for reinforcement of 

navigational rules, aids to navigation, multi-boat 

operations, anti-terrorism training, RADAR, 

GPS, chart plotters and vessel intercepts. Floyd 

explained that the marine simulators have the 

capability of performing exercises on many 

geographical databases from around the world. 

This is extremely beneficial to agents or officers 

deploying overseas or to a new area of operation. 

It allows the student to be able to actually train 

in the waters they will be patrolling before 

going there. If no geographic database exists 

in the contractors’ library, one can be built very 

accurately and realistically. Such was done for 

the Marine Training Branch’s area of operation 

in Brunswick, Ga. 2,800 detailed digital 

photographs were imbedded into the database 

for realism. In addition to the Brunswick 

database, staff re-created two of the MTB’s 

actual training vessels which the students can 

drive while in the simulator laboratory before 

they drive those vessels on the water. 

Another great attribute of both the marine and 

driving simulators is the ability to recreate any 

weather scenario. The SIB instructors are able 

to change the environmental conditions of any 

exercise that is utilized. Identical exercises can be 

performed during simulated daylight, darkness, 

rain, snow, or any other conceivable atmospheric 

conditions. This capability is extremely 

beneficial to the marine program students as sea 

conditions for various exercises are able to be 

manipulated from dead calm to gale force winds. 

In addition to having the capability to modify 

the environmental conditions, Floyd explained 

that the databases include an almanac of that 

area. Whenever an exercise is created on a given 

day and time, the sunrise, sunset, moonrise, 

moonset, moon phase, star configuration, tides 

and currents are exactly as they would be in that 

SEE SAFETY PAGE 41

LAW ENFORCEMENT FATALITIES 

BY OTHER THAN MOTOR VEHICLE 

CRASHES DECREASED BY 42% 

WHILE FATALITIES BY MOTOR 

VEHICLE CRASHES INCREASED 141%. 
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 11

OTC Technical 

Surveillance 

Countermeasures

and the Dangers to Law Enforcement Officers

BY CURTIS SHANE

FLETC LAW ENFORCEMENT TECHNOLOGIES

Today’s theatrical and television 

productions depict all 

types of electronic surveillance technologies 

used by law enforcement and security agencies 

throughout the world. The capability of the 

technology is greatly embellished at times in 

order to achieve the writer’s or director’s desired 

effect and grab the viewers’ attention. 

Additionally, the public is continually 

bombarded with commercials for GPS 

tracking software, apps and devices to use for 

tracking children and cars. Whether or not the 

technology has the capability that is depicted 

or advertised, it has sensitized everyone to the 

abilities of electronic surveillance. This public 

consciousness can cause complications for law 

enforcement personnel who use electronic 

surveillance technology during an investigation.

As an example a Google Internet search for 

“spy gadgets” returned over 8 million results 

in 0.16 seconds. Hidden cameras, hidden 

recorders, document scanners, keyloggers and 

other devices lead the criminal element to 

believe that law enforcement routinely uses these 

in all investigations. Frequently, on the same 

web site as the spy gadgets, companies list their 

counterspy gadgets. 

These counterspy gadgets are the devices 

criminals purchase in an attempt to thwart law 

enforcement surveillance. One web site even 

TOP: A frequency detector is an electronic “bug detector” that 

will act as frequency sweepers. If any operating RF transmitting 

devices are detected the device will tell you in which frequency 

the bug is operating. ABOVE: A field strength meter is an easyto-use meter. It shows the strength of the actual field being radiated from an active RF antenna. You can use it to determine the 

basic radiation pattern of your antenna and see which direction 

your signal is strongest. You can make changes to your antenna 

and instantly know if it radiates better. 
12 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

advertises that the equipment they sell is the 

same “spy equipment used by the police, military 

and other government agencies and is now 

available for you to purchase.” And then they 

list devices to detect their own equipment. 

In most cases these sites do not sell the same 

quality of equipment used by law enforcement, 

or more so, should not be used by law 

enforcement. The equipment is often inferior in 

workmanship, does not meet the requirements 

of the Federal Communications Commission 

or conform to acceptable law enforcement 

standards. 

The concern that law enforcement has is 

that the criminal element believes the detector 

devices work. They purchase them and if during 

an investigation law enforcement personnel are 

not conscious of countermeasures that may be in 

play, and may be using substandard equipment, it 

can create officer safety concerns.

Therefore, it is incumbent that the agency take 

great effort during pre-operational planning to 

be aware of the latest intelligence, determine 

if the target uses any type of countermeasure 

device for electronic surveillance and act 

accordingly. We can never depend on the “over 

the counter” countermeasure devices to be 

ineffective against our surveillance equipment.

The Federal Law Enforcement Training 

Centers’ Technical Operations Division, Law 

Enforcement Technologies Branch will make a 

presentation at the International Association of 

Chiefs of Police on these issues and others facing 

technical investigations. The presentation will 

emphasize open market technical surveillance 

countermeasures that can be purchased and 

deployed by the criminal elements while 

providing training methodologies used by the 

FLETC for countermeasure operations. The 

presenters will provide IACP attendees the 

opportunity to see and interact with some of 

the popular items used by those attempting 

to obstruct technical operations through 

countermeasures equipment. 

Presenting for FLETC will be Curtis 

Shane, the chief of the Law Enforcement 

Technologies Branch, TOD, who has been 

in federal law enforcement for more than 40 

years and Ken Wagoner, a senior instructor 

and program coordinator for the Covert 

Electronic Surveillance and Tracking programs. 

Mr. Wagoner has been involved in technical 

operations for more than 30 years. 

The Hidden Camera Detector/

Locator uses optical augmentation; 

a phenomenon whereby light 

reflected from a focused optical 

system, such as a camera lens, 

is reflected along the same path 

as the incident light. If a lens is 

illuminated and viewed with the 

Camera Finder, then a strong 

reflection from the target camera 

will reveal its position to the user.

IN MOST CASES THESE SITES DO NOT SELL THE SAME 

QUALITY OF EQUIPMENT USED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT, OR 

MORE SO, SHOULD NOT BE USED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. 
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 13

Latest Simulation Technologies

FLETC to hold IACP CBT Learning Labs for Protective Service Operations

The IACP learning laboratory presentation, 

Protective Service Site Considerations for the 

Law Enforcement Officer in 3-D, introduces 

the latest simulation technologies to law enforcement 

personnel performing protective service operations. 

Site Advances -- the security preparation done in 

advance -- are a vital component of protecting a VIP/

principal. Subject to the level of security needed and 

complexity of the location, site advances can involve 

months of planning and coordination with various law 

enforcement agencies, staffers, host governments, and 

local officials. Advances may also be conducted on 

very short notice, at times with the motorcade’s arrival 

only minutes away. Critical elements will need to be 

addressed in any site advance and some examples are: 

arrival and departure points, access control, layers of 

security, evacuation routes, and emergency response. 

Compiled either in formal site surveys, comprehensive 

checklists, or hastily written on the back of the 

principal’s itinerary, the requisite information must 

be in-depth and accurately conveyed to the respective 

security and police elements. 

In Protective Service Site Considerations for the Law 

Enforcement Officer in 3-D, computer-based training 

will provide the IACP attendee with a foundation 

in site security advances. Many of those elements 

mentioned above, arrival and departure points, 

evacuation routes, etc., will be applied to an actual 

site in virtual reality, e.g. a hologram. The hologram in 

use is the latest in simulation technology – developed 

for US military combat operations. This technology 

is well suited to protective service operations as it is 

very durable, easily transported and requires only a 

conventional, overhead light source to produce a threedimensional effect. The Protective Service Operations 

Training Program coordinator facilitates this learning 

laboratory.

 Because much of the IACP course material comes 

directly from the Protective Service Operations 

Training Program, some details of this extensive 

training program merit special note. The PSOTP is a 

unique, eleven-day protective service training program 

conducted by the top professionals in the field at the 

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Glynco, 

Ga.

 In this intense program, the student progresses from 

forming simple walking formations to conducting 

detailed site advances. Many hours are dedicated to 

vehicle and motorcade operations, as well as cover and 

evacuation exercises often using SUVs to obtain the 

required realism. These exercises drill the student in 

emergency response, utilizing over twenty role-players 

following carefully scripted scenarios. An after-action 

review is then conducted using a state-of-the-art 

digital recording system in a venue tailored to PSO 

specific training requirements. The PSOTP also 

covers weapons of mass destruction threats, emergency 

medicine, overseas operations, and firearms training. 

Training culminates in students running a six-agent 

PSO detail in a real-world environment.

 The strength of the program is derived from 

unmatched training venues and a highly experienced 

teaching staff. The teaching staff includes instructors 

from the Diplomatic Security Service, United States 

Secret Service, and Air Force OSI. The PSOTP is 

continually evolving and seeks to implement the most 

effective training practices and input from former 

students, active PSO details, and members of the 

Protective Services Working Group.

BY LLOYD BROADWATER

FLETC COUNTERTERRORISM
14 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

Online Crimes 

and Internet Investigations

What Law Enforcement Executives Should Know and Expect

GREG KING

FLETC FORENSICS 

AND SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE SKILLS

Today’s Law Enforcement Executive must be 

aware of and prepared to respond to crimes 

committed in cyber space. Understanding the 

basic core principles of internet and online investigations 

gives the LEE the advantage when directing cyber 

investigations. Here are two scenarios:

A parent’s nightmare comes to life - upon returning 

home they discover their teenage child did not attend 

school and has not come home. As they enter the child’s 

room, they notice an open email account and it is clear 

the child has gone to meet someone he or she has met 

online. More frightening is that it appears this person 

has traveled from out of state and intends to take their 

child back. 

Economic times are tough. The average person has 

seen a real decrease in disposable income. Looking 

for ways to ease the burden, they explore new ways to 

generate extra income. While searching the Internet, 

they discover a new online company which promises 

a way to earn extra income while working from home. 

Even better, it only requires “a small investment,” but 

promises a large return. This company has posted 

numerous testimonies from people touting the successes 

they have had with this company. After chatting with an 

online representative, the required forms are completed 

and funds are sent. Weeks go by and after trying to 

contact the company it becomes clear, an Internet scam 

has occurred. 

The two scenarios described above are ripped out 

of today’s headlines and can occur anywhere. The 

perpetrators can be around the corner or hundreds 

of miles away. Either of the two scenarios may come 

to the attention of LEEs through citizen complaints 

or heightened media attention. As LEEs, you rely 

on people in your department to handle a variety 

of situations appropriately, but it is ultimately your 

responsibility to ensure these situations are handled 

effectively and professionally. 

The Internet, like no other device, has impacted our 

communities giving the average citizen access to the 

world and the world access to the citizen. The internet 

has also given birth to a new category of criminals, 

commonly referred to as “cyber criminals” who have 

found new hunting grounds and victims on whom to 

prey. 

The first thing the LEE should realize is that cyber 

space has a very simple concept. That concept is 

that people are physically connected to devices and 

performing tasks. It is no different than the typical 

criminal environment and crime scene. The crime scene, 

the acts and the actors must be identified. Immediately, 

steps should be taken to ensure the acts cease and efforts 

are taken to apprehend the perpetrators.

The LEE must ensure the digital crime scene has 
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 15

been secured. In the digital world, this will be at least 

two separate locations and possibly more. Most often, 

the investigating officers will only have immediate 

access to the victim’s computer, so steps to secure that 

environment MUST occur right way. Today’s Online 

Investigators and Computer Forensic Examiners have 

a number of investigative tools at their disposal: all of 

which will be useless if the digital crime scene is not 

properly secured. Frontline officers can be taught in a 

matter of days how to properly secure a digital crime 

scene. The LEE will find this investment in training 

well worth the time and expense.

Identifying cyber criminals is a process similar to other 

investigative efforts used to identify criminals, gather 

data, examine evidence and locate possible suspects. 

The internet is a complex collection of entities, all of 

whom play a part in its successful operation. As such, 

there are identifiable artifacts that assist the investigator. 

Understanding how the artifacts are generated and 

stored is a key component when operating in a digital 

environment. One way to identify cyber criminals is 

through active online investigations.

There is a delicate balancing act to consider when 

conducting online cyber investigations. Locating 

suspects may necessitate making multiple, covert 

or undercover contacts with online subjects. Once 

identification is made, the LEE and investigating 

officers must weigh the need to further the investigation 

with the possible adverse effects on the public. In other 

words, if the suspect is not immediately stopped, he or 

she will remain “active” until the investigation is finished. 

Regardless, once a suspect(s) is identified, the LEE must 

be able and willing to work with other jurisdictions and 

agencies to successfully apprehend the suspect(s). Rarely 

will a suspect operate in only one geographic area. 

The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers’ 

Investigative Operations Division (IOD), Financial 

Fraud Institute will make a presentation at the 

International Association of Chiefs of Police on these 

issues and others related to identifying cyber criminals 

and conducting online cyber investigations. The 

presenter will provide hands-on exercises that outline 

the anatomy of an online investigation as well as tracing 

e-mails. 

Presenting for the FLETC will be Greg King, a 

Senior Instructor at the FLETC, who has over 28 years 

of law enforcement experience with the Cleveland Police 

Department where he last served in the Intelligence 

Unit as a Computer Forensic Examiner. Greg has 

testified on the federal, state and local level as an expert 

witness as it relates to cyber and online crimes and 

computer forensics.

A law enforcement officer works online to 

identify cyber criminals using a process 

similar to other investigative efforts used 

to identify criminals, gather data, examine 

evidence and locate possible suspects.
16 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

The lifeboat from the Maersk Alabama is 

recovered after its crew is rescued. U.S. 

Navy/Department of Defense photo.
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 17 

Maritime Piracy and Terrorism

A

BY DOMINIC TRAINA

 Threat to Global Trade

FLETC INTEGRATED TRAINING

Maritime piracy and terrorism has been a nuisance to sea commerce since 

trade first began. Although piracy has always existed, it has been a 

cyclical burden. History has shown that piracy has been eradicated in 

certain regions only to reappear in other areas. The concern today of course is the 

link between piracy and international terrorist organizations such as Al Qaeda or its 

network of affiliates. Recently, there has been a dramatic increase in piracy that has 

caused concern for not only the shipping industry but for all states that rely heavily 

on trade, specifically the shipments of oil from the Middle East. The most obvious 

concerns are for vessels that traverse through regions such as the Gulfs of Oman and 

Eden or strategic chokepoints such as the Straits of Hormuz and Malacca.

 
18 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

Since its infancy the United States has always had issues with piracy 

and as the world’s largest trading partner has taken a 

leading role amongst the international community to 

thwart maritime piracy and its links to terrorism. The 

National Strategy for Maritime Security notes that, 

“more than 80 percent of the world’s trade travels by 

water and forges a global maritime link. About half the 

world’s trade by value, and 90 percent of the general 

cargo, is transported in containers. Shipping is the heart 

of the global economy,”1

 therefore, it is imperative that a 

multilateral approach to policing the sea lanes continues 

to flourish. Open sea lanes of communication are critical 

to fueling the global economy. This is known to Al 

Qaeda and other fringe organizations. These nefarious 

organizations have a maritime agenda, yet they have no 

navy and must employ asymmetrical attacks on shipping 

to cause havoc on global commerce. The U.S., through 

the theories of great naval thinkers of the past, has 

focused on controlling the sea lanes for trade and will 

have to continue to assist its allies in regions to ensure 

that trade is not hindered on the high seas or at any of 

the many critical chokepoints throughout the world. 

The globalized economies of all states depends upon 

unrestricted access to the sea in order to experience 

continued economic growth. 

BRIEF HISTORY ON MARITIME PIRACY

The earliest documentation of piracy dates back to 

the thirteenth century, but many scholars have noted 

that piracy took place when trade first began on the 

Mediterranean Sea with the ancient Greeks and 

Phoenicians. The Barbary Pirates committed the first acts 

of piracy that threatened merchant ships from the United 

States shortly after the new nation was formed. The 

Barbary Pirates acted with impunity for several centuries, 

mainly in the western Mediterranean, but also operating 

as far north as Iceland and into South America, seizing 

ships, raiding coastal towns and enslaving Christians for 

Islamic markets in North Africa and the Middle East. 

The states within the Barbary Coast in North Africa 

in the late 1700’s began impeding the flow of commerce 

for American ships, attacking and holding crews for 

ransom. The newly formed United States agreed to pay 

tribute for the safe passage of its vessels to the states of 

Tunis, Tripoli and Algiers. Over time, the U.S. became 

disgusted with the extortion and Thomas Jefferson 

ordered the newly conceived U.S. Navy to the area in 

order to assist in the safe passage of U.S. merchant 

vessels and to battle the pirates. The U.S. Navy formed 

a blockade on the Barbary Coast and after several 

naval battles, and some land action that involved the 

U.S. Marine Corps in the Battle of Tripoli, the pirates 

negotiated a peace settlement in 1805. This peace 

settlement was actually a pause in the conflict which 

increased again throughout the War of 1812 and was not 

fully resolved until 1815. 

Shortly after the U.S. resolved this ongoing conflict, 

ABOVE: Suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden are detained by a U.S. Naval 

search and seizure team. U.S. Navy/Department of Defense photos.
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 19

BELOW U.S. Naval search 

and seizure teams close in 

to apprehend suspected 

pirates in the Gulf of Aden. 

ABOVE LEFT: Map shows 

part of the Arabian Sea, 

Indian Ocean and Somali 

coast known for its pirate 

activity. ABOVE RIGHT: The 

lifeboat from the Maersk 

Alabama is hoisted aboard 

a U.S. Navy ship. U.S. 

Navy/Department of 

Defense photos.
20 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

British and Dutch Navies were dispatched to 

ensure that Algiers would no longer threaten 

their shipping and to abolish Christian slavery 

in North Africa. This action finally ended the 

threat to shipping in the region, and commerce 

could flow without many threats of enslavement 

or extortion. Although Naval action was the key 

element to defeating the Barbary pirates’ land 

attacks by the Marines and a bombardment 

of Algerian forts by British and Dutch Naval 

vessels ultimately caused the pirates to capitulate. 

American commerce and seaman were also 

threatened in the Caribbean and the Gulf of 

Mexico by pirates for much of the 18th century 

as well as a good part of the 19th century. The 

most well known pirate, Blackbeard, mainly 

operated throughout the Caribbean and often 

threatened vessels off of the eastern seaboard of 

the American colonies. Another infamous pirate, 

Jean Laffite concentrated his attacks in the 

Gulf of Mexico in the early 1800s. Jean Lafitte 

had even fought alongside General Andrew 

Jackson in the War of 1812 at the Battle of New 

Orleans. Other engagements involving piracy 

took place in East Asia with Chinese pirates that 

were suppressed by the Royal Navy and the U.S. 

Navy in the 1860s. Since the late 1800s, piracy 

has not had a noteworthy affect on U.S. foreign 

policy or threatened its economic growth. 

Presently, modern pirates primarily threaten 

vessels in the Horn of Africa, Straits of Malacca, 

South China Sea and near the Niger Delta. 

Most piracy is a part of an organized criminal 

enterprise in regions that suffer from lawlessness. 

These groups are solely focused on financial gain. 

These areas suffer from corruption in both the 

private and public sector. Corrupt officials share 

equally in the breakdown of any rule of law. A 

perfect example is the state of Somalia which 

has not had a central government for over two 

decades. The concern of modern piracy is the 

possible nexus with maritime terrorists and of 

the devastating effect on the global economy 

if strategic chokepoints were simultaneously 

attacked. States such as Somalia are a haven for 

international criminals as well as international 

terrorist organizations.

MARITIME TERRORISM

Maritime terrorists have found that piracy can 

potentially fund other efforts or possibly assist 

in the planning of future terrorist attacks on 

one of the many chokepoints that oil transits 

through to fuel the global economy. Estimates 

vary from $18 million to $30 million collected 

by maritime pirates or terrorists operating in 

the lawless failed state of Somalia.2

 This is a 

miniscule amount when one takes into account 

that the world’s import and export volume are 

well into the trillions of dollars, yet this amount 

is significant for pirates or terrorists, who will 

use these funds for future operations. 

Despite the rarity of maritime terrorism there 

have been several successful attacks by Al Qaeda. 

The USS Cole was attacked in 2000, killing 17 

seamen. The French oil tanker MV Limburg 

was attacked off of the Yemen coast, and the 

Abu Sayyaf terrorist group caused an explosion 

on a ferry in the Philippines that killed over a 

100 people.3

 Although the attacks are rare, Al 

Qaeda does show a major interest in maritime 

attacks. Evidence discovered on videos found in 

Afghanistan shows that terrorist organizations 

have an “interest in developing technological, 

tactics and techniques for conducting maritime 

terrorist operations.”4 Increases in security, law 

enforcement investigations, and operational 

security plans have hampered the terrorist 

maritime strategy. Yet one should never 

discount the creativity of Al Qaeda. Having 

used airplanes, loaded with passengers as 

smart bombs, on 9/11 should remind us of the 

asymmetrical attacks that the global community 

must be prepared to meet. 

One of the scenarios reported by The Cutting 

Edge News is the possibility of a weapon of 

mass effect being placed in with legitimate cargo. 

The other scenario as equally as frightening is if 

terrorists seize control of a vessel and use it in an 

assault. In 2003, near the coast of Sumatra, an 

island in western Indonesia, attackers boarded 

the chemical tanker Dewi Madrim and took 

control of the vessel steering different courses 

before departing with cash, equipment and 

technical documents. In addition, the captain 

and first officer were taken and are still missing. 

This incident is somewhat reminiscent of 

the 9/11 hijackers and their efforts to learn 

how to fly planes. These attackers were not 

just typical pirates. They were well trained for 

this coordinated attack. According to Jane’s 

Terrorism and Security Monitor, many in the 

intelligence community believe that preparations 

for seaborne assaults are in the final stages.
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 21

 The threat from maritime terrorists and the 

closure of maritime chokepoints will continue 

to be one of the greatest threats to derailing the 

global economy. It should not be forgotten that 

the objective of the late Osama bin Laden, was to 

concentrate on the destruction of the American 

economy. Al Qaeda’s modus operandi will be to 

continue to focus on asymmetrical attacks that 

will plague the global economy. 

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF SEA LINES OF 

COMMUNICATION (SLOC)

 Some of the world’s most important shipping 

chokepoints are located in many of the world’s 

most volatile regions. These areas include the 

Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, Strait of 

Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca. In 2007, 

according to the United Nations Conference 

on Trade and Development, seaborne trade 

surpassed 8 billion tons an increase of 4.8% 

with much of it being transported through these 

unstable regions.

It is no secret that Al Qaeda is aware that a 

TOP: The MV Faina, a Ukraine cargo ship is boarded by 

Somali pirates. The ship, its crew and its cargo of 33 Sovietera T-72 tanks is eventually released. ABOVE: Somali pirates 

stand on the deck of the Faina after U.S. Navy personnel 

request to check the health and welfare of its crew. U.S. 

Navy/Department of Defense photos.
22 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

successful attack in any one of these areas would 

cause oil prices to surge and this would wreak 

havoc on the global economy. An example of 

this was the Iran Iraq War in which a barrel 

of oil went from $14 in 1978 to $35 a barrel 

in 1981.5 The Iran Iraq War had a significant 

impact on the production and the movement 

of oil. Both states had a serious decline in their 

oil production due to the conflict as well as 

causing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, 

which according to the U.S. Energy Information 

Administration accounts for one fourth of 

the world’s oil flow. Both states attacked each 

other’s tankers as well as neutral tankers as they 

passed this strategic chokepoint on their way 

to the Persian Gulf and then on to the Indian 

Ocean. Any tension that takes place in the 

Persian Gulf region has immediate consequences 

on the global economy. The possibility of oil 

prices doubling as they did in 1978 could be 

catastrophic to the recovering global economy. 

Maritime shipping attacks near the 

chokepoints that have been noted are increasing 

primarily because in the lawless regions, near 

the Gulf of Aden, local gangs and terrorists 

have found piracy to be a lucrative opportunity 

to exploit the shipping industry. Seaborne 

commerce accounts for over several trillion 

dollars in the movement of goods. Therefore, the 

hijacking and demanding of ransom for vessels 

and crews is profitable when the pirates are paid 

several hundred thousand dollars or millions for 

their efforts. 

The true cost to maritime piracy or terrorism 

is in the expenses of shipping companies who 

must increase security, take longer routes that 

delay shipping and cause operating expenses 

to increase. Moreover, some vessels have been 

seized and never returned and their crews 

have never been found. All of this has caused 

skyrocketing increases in insurance for shipping 

and cargo, and these added expenses will trickle 

down to the global consumers of products 

transiting the global waterways. According to 

the International Maritime Bureau, worldwide 

piracy has increased by 11% this past year.6

 A 

poor global economy and opportunities that 

terrorist organizations are pursuing to finance 

operations or prepare for an attack in a strategic 

chokepoint are the most plausible explanations 

for this increase. 

RELEVANCE OF SEA POWER AND FREEDOM OF THE 

HIGH SEAS

If the cost of piracy is not that significant why 

is there such a concern? Piracy is a nuisance to 

commerce and any hindrance to the vital sea 

lanes that bolster the global economy is a cause 

for concern. More importantly is the nexus of 

maritime terrorists, who could simultaneously 

shut down vital choke links for trade. 

The founding father of the modern day Navy 

and first President of the Naval War College, 

Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan, preached that 

navies exist to protect maritime commerce. 

He declared that “commerce thrives by peace 

and suffers by war. It follows that peace is the 

superior interest.” Therefore, the key to global 

economic growth is to have secure sea lanes. 

Mahan, who is considered to be one of America’s 

greatest geopolitical thinkers, emphasized this 

through his work, which was a study of the 

rise of the British navy, The Influence of Sea 

Power upon History. This piece noted that sea 

power is primarily concerned with war at sea, 

shipbuilding, commercial shipping, naval bases, 

and training personnel. 7

 Furthermore, sea power 

today can mean even more. It includes under 

sea resources such as fuel and fishing and many 

other forms of commerce and communications 

that link states. The conflict that took place with 

the Barbary Pirates and the naval forces of the 

United States are the earliest engagements in 

which later theories of Mahan would assist U.S. 

policy makers in promoting that the economic 

growth of the United States depends upon the 

security of the sea lanes. This has not changed 

as piracy and terrorism are ubiquitous and will 

continue to be present well into the foreseeable 

future, since most of the world’s trade takes place 

by sea. 

Following World War II, the United States 

has become an economic powerhouse mainly 

because of its naval pre-eminence in all of the 

globe’s five oceans. Securing the sea lanes has 

always been the primary role of naval forces and 

never before in history has one state been able to 

project global sea power as the U.S. does today. 

The National Strategy for Maritime Security 

notes that “the safety and economic security of 

the United States depends upon the secure use 

of the world’s oceans.”8

 The economic security 

of trade has become a global concern for safety 

SEE PIRACY PAGE 42
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 23

TAMPA, Fla. – When asked why she participates year 

after year in a grueling bicycle trek known as the Police 

Unity Tour, or PUT, Special Agent Ellen Pierson, 

with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s 

Homeland Security Investigations, says, “It’s not about 

riding a bicycle for 250 miles. I believe with the right 

training anyone can do that. It’s about knowing that 

another law enforcement officer won’t be going home to 

their family ever again – that it could have been any one 

of us.”

What made this year even more special for Pierson, 

who has participated for the past 10 years, is that she 

helped to train Cindy Roberts, the wife of Tampa Police 

Department Officer Cpl. Mike Roberts who was killed 

in 2009, to make the ride for the first time.

Pierson first met Cindy at a hockey game and 

fundraising event for PUT. Pierson said she later called 

Cindy and asked her if she wanted to ride with the 

group. When she started, Cindy was barely doing 12 

miles, according to Pierson, but now she is ready for the 

challenge.

“I will help Cindy anyway I can to ride every mile of 

the ride,” said Pierson. “If she has a mechanical issue 

with her bike, I will gladly give her mine. We will make 

sure she makes it.”

To participate in PUT, riders must be a sworn or 

retired law enforcement officer or a “survivor,” meaning 

BY DANIELLE BENNETT

U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT

Police Unity Tour

... It’s about knowing that another law 

enforcement officer won’t be going 

home to their family ever again – that 

it could have been any one of us.

 Ellen Pierson

 Special Agent, ICE

“

“

someone who lost an immediate family member in law 

enforcement.

The Tampa Bay group included Pierson and 37 

other law enforcement officers from Tampa Police 

Department – including Police Chief Jane Castor, the 

Florida State Attorney’s Office, Hillsborough, Pasco 

and Hernando County sheriff ’s offices, and the St. 

Petersburg and Largo police departments. And now, 

Cindy.

Every year, PUT members are presented with a 

memorial bracelet engraved with a fallen hero’s name, 

The 2011 ICE Police Unity Tour team pose before their 250-mile 

journey. Ellen Pierson and another rider talk strategy for the ride 

ahead. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement photos
24 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

agency, and end of watch date. All 162 officers who died 

in the line of duty in 2010 will be honored by a PUT 

member during this year’s ride. Each PUT member also 

contacts the agency and/or the family to let them know 

they are honoring their loved one.

 “I think when you receive the bracelet and place it 

on your wrist, it really sinks in why you are there,” said 

Pierson. “Most of the officers that ride know at least one 

officer on the NLEOM (National Law Enforcement 

Officer Memorial). I have nine friends on the wall, 

including one I rode a bike with in 2009. Officer Rich 

Matthews was supposed to ride in the PUT in 2010. He 

died in a car accident in February that year.”

Pierson has ridden in honor of both friends and 

officers she has never met from far away states. “I think 

it is important that the families know that officers from 

all over the United States are honoring their loved one. 

I also like to honor officers who passed prior to 2010. I 

think the families need to know that we will not forget 

their loved ones.” 

This year, Pierson rode in honor of Cpl. Betty Dunn 

Smothers, the mother of National Football League 

player Warrick Dunn. “I admire Mr. Dunn for all he has 

given back to the community,” said Pierson.

Pierson rode from Jacksonville, Fla. on April 30th

with a small group of about six fellow law enforcement 

officers to the Federal Law Enforcement Training 

Center in Glynco, Ga. From there, the group joined a 

larger group who participated in the long bike ride from 

FLETC to Chesapeake, Va. From that spot, the group 

officially became part of the Police Unity Tour, which 

culminated at the National Law Enforcement Officers 

Memorial in Washington, D.C. on May 12, 2011.

Next year, she will wear a bracelet for ICE HSI 

Special Agent Jaime Zapata, killed in Mexico in 

February. “I did not know SA Zapata but I will be proud 

to ride in his honor in 2012,” she said.

Cindy Roberts meets the other ICE riders as 

they prepare to start the 250-mile journey.
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 25

The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers 

held its 26th annual Peace Officers Memorial 

Ceremony Wednesday, May 18, 2011, honoring 

those FLETC graduates who lost their lives in the 

performance of duty. The ceremony was a joint observance 

with other area law enforcement agencies in southeast 

Georgia, including the Brunswick Police Department, 

Glynn County Police Department and Sheriff ’s Office, 

Georgia State Patrol and Georgia Department of 

Natural Resources. More than 200 FLETC and Partner 

Organizations staff, community members, congressional 

staffers, students and family members attended the 

morning ceremony.

This year, six names were engraved upon the FLETC 

Graduates Memorial, bringing the total to 178 since the 

establishment of FLETC in 1970. Those honored this 

year were U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office 

of Field Operations Officers Charles Collins and John 

Zykas; Office of Border Patrol Agents Michael Gallagher, 

Brian Terry, and Mark Van Doren; and U.S. Forest Service 

Officer Christopher Upton.

FLETC Director Connie Patrick introduced the 

keynote speaker Assistant Commissioner Thomas 

Winkowski, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office 

of Field Operations, and welcomed the full auditorium to 

the solemn ceremony. 

“Each (person honored) served a cause greater than 

themselves. They put their duty above their own personal 

safety, and, for that, a grateful nation remembers,” said 

Assistant Commissioner Winkowski. 

The ceremony included the reading of the FLETC 

graduates honor roll of names by FLETC Assistant 

Director Michael Hanneld. Brunswick Police Chief Tobe 

Green read the state and local agencies honor roll of 40 

names from area law enforcement agencies. The ceremony 

honored Brunswick Police Officer Horace E. Thompson, 

killed in the line of duty in 1894 but only recently 

recognized through historical research. 

The CBP Honor Guard presented and retired the 

Colors while agency representatives from USFS and CBP 

placed a wreath at the memorial in recognition of the 

fallen officers at the conclusion of the ceremony.

“The FLETC Graduate Memorial is a permanent 

reminder of the ultimate sacrifice made by our officers 

and agents. Each of the names carved in granite will 

not be worn down by wind, rain or time, and through 

our ceremony each year we will continue to honor and 

remember them,” stated Director Patrick. 

A full listing of the FLETC Graduate Memorial is on 

pages 26-27.

26th Annual 

Peace Officers 

Memorial Ceremony

BY ALICIA GREGORY

FLETC PUBLIC AFFAIRS
26 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

	 •	 Eddie Benitez

	 •	 Conway C. LeBleu

	 •	 Johnny A. Masengale

	 •	 Todd W. McKeehan

	 •	 Kimberly D. Place

	 •	 Ariel Rios

	 •	 David E. Sullivan

	 •	 Robert J. Williams

	 •	 Steven D. Willis

Bureau of Indian Affairs

	 •	 Michael G. Miller

	 •	 Defford Oyebi

	 •	 Creighton T. Spencer

Bureau of Prisons

	 •	 Daniel J. Bryer

	 •	 Robert F. Miller

	 •	 Jose V. Rivera

	 •	 Gary L. Rowe

	 •	 D’Antonio H. Washington

	 •	 Alfredo D. Williams

	 •	 Scott J. Williams

Department of Agriculture

	 •	 Nelson R. Harmon

Department of Housing and Urban Development

	 •	 Paul Broxterman

Department of Justice - Office of the Inspector General

	 •	 William “Buddy” Sentner III

Department of State

	 •	 Patrick J. Henry

	 •	 Ronald A. Lariviere

	 •	 Daniel E. O’Connor

Diplomatic Security Service

	 •	 Edward J. Seitz

	 •	 Stephen E. Sullivan

Drug Enforcement Administration

	 •	 Arthur L. Cash

	 •	 Thomas J. Devine

	 •	 Rickie C. Finley

	 •	 Richard Heath, Jr.

	 •	 Hector Jordan

	 •	 George M. Montoya

	 •	 William Ramos

	 •	 Raymond Stastny

Environmental Protection Agency

	 •	 David R. DeLitta

	 •	 William T. Parr

Federal Protective Service

	 •	 Robert P. Dana

	 •	 Michael J. Doyle

	 •	 William J. Martin

	 •	 Ronald C. Sheffield

	 •	 Robert W. Yesucevitz

Immigration and Naturalization Service 

	 •	 Ernest Bowman

	 •	 Tommy K. Chin

	 •	 Robert F. Jenkins, Jr.

	 •	 Anthony S. Minetto

	 •	 Juan G. Reyes-Orellana

	 •	 Robert M. Smith

Internal Revenue Service

	 •	 David H. Feick

	 •	 Richard I. Luht, Jr.

	 •	 Robert E. Rorrer

	 •	 Howard R. Stuart-Houston

National Park Service

	 •	 Kris Eggle

	 •	 Joseph D. Kolodski

	 •	 Robert E. Mahn, Jr.

	 •	 Steve R. Makuakane-Jarrell

	 •	 Duane P. McClure

	 •	 Robert L. McGhee

	 •	 Thomas P. O’Hara

	 •	 Daniel P. Madrid

Naval Criminal Investigative Service

	 •	 Douglas B. Kocina

	 •	 Jerry W. Kramer

	 •	 Thomas P. Marzilli

Pentagon Force Protection Agency

	 •	 James M. Feltis, III

Tennessee Valley Authority

	 •	 Timothy P. Huckaby

U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations

	 •	 Ryan A. Balmer

	 •	 Matthew J. Kuglics

	 •	 Daniel J. Kuhlmeier

	 •	 Nathan J. Schuldheiss

	 •	 David A. Wieger

U.S. Capitol Police

	 •	 Jacob J. Chestnut

	 •	 Christopher S. Eney

	 •	 John M. Gibson

	 •	 James A. Griffith

U.S. Customs Service

	 •	 Renault R. Bayhi

	 •	 Charles J. Bokinskie

	 •	 James A. Buczel

	 •	 David L. Crater

	 •	 David E. DeLoach

	 •	 Gary P. Friedli

	 •	 Paul D. Ice

	 •	 Alan J. Klumpp

	 •	 Richard M. Latham

	 •	 Timothy C. McCaghren

	 •	 Claude A. Medearis

	 •	 Glenn R. Miles, Sr.
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 27

	 •	 Pedro J. Rodriguez

	 •	 George R. Saenz

	 •	 George J. Spencer

	 •	 Carl R. Talafous

	 •	 James D. Taylor

	 •	 Manuel VII Zurita

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine

	 •	 Julio E. Baray

	 •	 Robert F. Smith

	 •	 Clinton B. Thrasher

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol

	 •	 Luis A. Aguilar

	 •	 Travis W. Attaway

	 •	 Jefferson L. Barr

	 •	 Eric N. Cabral

	 •	 Charles F. Collins II

	 •	 George B. DeBates

	 •	 Jarod C. Dittman

	 •	 Roberto J. Duran

	 •	 James P. Epling

	 •	 Michael V. Gallagher

	 •	 Richard Goldstein

	 •	 Nicholas D. Greenig

	 •	 Eloy Hernandez

	 •	 Catherine M. Hill

	 •	 Daniel M. James, Jr.

	 •	 John D. Keenan

	 •	 Alexander Kirpnick

	 •	 Xavier G. Magdaleno

	 •	 Josiah B. Mahar

	 •	 Miguel J. Maldonado, Jr.

	 •	 John R. McCravey

	 •	 Cruz C. McGuire

	 •	 Jose A. Nava

	 •	 Ramon Nevarez, Jr.

	 •	 Victor C. Ochoa

	 •	 Jesus De La Ossa

	 •	 Walter S. Panchison

	 •	 Jason C. Panides

	 •	 Susan L. Rodriguez

	 •	 Robert W. Rosas, Jr.

	 •	 Manuel Salcido, Jr.

	 •	 Norman Ray Salinas

	 •	 Ricardo G. Salinas

	 •	 Luis A. Santiago

	 •	 Robert F. Smith

	 •	 Brian A. Terry

	 •	 Stephen C. Starch

	 •	 Stephen M. Sullivan

	 •	 David J. Tourscher

	 •	 Mark F. Van Doren

	 •	 Aurelio E. Valencia

	 •	 David Villarreal

	 •	 David N. Webb

	 •	 Joseph R. White

	 •	 Thomas J. Williams

	 •	 Jeremy M. Wilson

	 •	 John R. Zykas

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

	 •	 Richard J. Guadagno

	 •	 Douglas J. Morris

	 •	 Thomas P. Cloherty

U.S. Forest Service

	 •	 Stephen A. Bowman

	 •	 Kristine M. Fairbanks

	 •	 Brent K. Jacobson

	 •	 Michael R. Smith

	 •	 Michael L. Staples

	 •	 Christopher A. Upton

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

	 •	 Lorenzo R. Gomez

	 •	 David G. Wilhelm

U.S. Marshals Service

	 •	 Bucky E. Burke

	 •	 Robert S. Cheshire, Jr.

	 •	 William F. Degan, Jr.

	 •	 Roy L. Frakes

	 •	 Peter P. Hillman

U.S. Mint

	 •	 Ted M. Shinault

U.S. Park Police

	 •	 Hakim A. Farthing

	 •	 Ricardo M. Preston

U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General

	 •	 Greg R. Boss

U.S. Secret Service

	 •	 Donald A. Bejcek

	 •	 Cynthia C. Brown

	 •	 Richard T. Cleary

	 •	 James S. Collins

	 •	 Daniel M. Connolly

	 •	 Julie Y. Cross

	 •	 Scott E. Deaton

	 •	 Hector L. Diaz

	 •	 J. Clifford Dietrich

	 •	 Phillip C. Lebid

	 •	 Donald R. Leonard

	 •	 Mickey B. Maroney

	 •	 Manuel J. Marrero-Otero

	 •	 Donald W. Robinson

	 •	 James M. Ryan

	 •	 Stewart P. Watkins

	 •	 Alan G. Whicher
28 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 29

Fit For Training

vs. Fit For Duty

BY CHARLES “SKEET” BREWER AND DR. BILL NORRIS

FLETC TRAINING RESEARCH

For decades, law enforcement professionals 

have wrestled with the question, “How 

fit is fit enough for performing the 

duties and responsibilities of a law enforcement 

officer?” The answer to this question has been 

debated in both professional and legal circles 

with numerous opinions and variations being 

offered. Virtually everyone agrees with the 

premise that fitness is an important attribute 

for law enforcement officers to possess in order 

to successfully perform their duties throughout 

their career. The point of contention is how 

“fitness” and “fit for duty” are defined and 

evaluated. Since the Federal Law Enforcement 

Training Centers are training institutions and 

not operational law enforcement agencies, this 

article will focus on being fit for training. Once 

trainees graduate from the FLETC and arrive at 

their duty station, the responsibility then shifts 

to the employing agencies to ensure that their 

officers are fit for duty. The distinction between 

“fit for training” versus “fit for duty” may appear 

to be a minor difference, but it is the focal point 

of this article and oftentimes an agency’s policy. 

This article describes how the FLETC arrived at 

its newly created Advisory Fitness Standards. 

When training programs at the FLETC are 

designed or modified through a Curriculum 

Development Conference or Curriculum Review 

Conference, they are designed with the end 

goal of preparing students to graduate with the 

basic knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA’s) to 

perform as an entry level officer or agent. When 

this process is done properly, all critical skills, 

both cognitive and physical, have been identified. 

Each of these skills has been addressed through 

the appropriate training methodology and 

tested to ensure proficiency. In the training 

arena, trainers are often faced with students 

who are not physically prepared for the rigors of 

the training environment. Virtually every law 

enforcement agency has some form of medical 

screening as part of their interview process, 

yet very few have a physical fitness screening 

in place to ensure the potential employee is 

physically fit to participate in required training. 

The absence of this fitness screening process often 

leads to the selection of candidates who do not 

possess the physiological capacity to perform 

the various tasks required in training at the 

intended intensity and for the required duration. 

Law enforcement skills are typically developed, 

acquired and enhanced through repetitive drills 

that take place in several classes each day, on 

consecutive training days. Arriving at training 

unprepared will most likely result in the student 

being removed from training due to a failure, 

either physical or academic, or due to a sustained 

injury (most likely an overuse injury). The two 

most obvious consequences of this scenario are 

the time and money involved in the selection 

process for new hires and the loss of a productive 

employee. A majority of these situations could 

be avoided by implementing a “fit for training” 

OPPOSITE PAGE: A student races through 

cones as he runs against the clock during a 

physical fitness standards test.
30 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

standard or evaluation prior to the applicant 

being hired or sent to training if they are already 

an employee of the agency.

When determining what type of evaluation to 

use for determining fitness for training, fitness 

tests are usually recommended as opposed to 

a task or job simulation test. A fitness test 

simply requires the participants perform at a 

prescribed level in a fitness category (such as 

strength), while a task test requires individuals 

to perform specific job related tasks. The job 

related skills could require some instruction 

in order to complete. This may produce an 

unnecessary burden on the participant’s ability 

to visualize the correct technique needed for 

performance of the task, versus measuring the 

physiological capacity to perform the physical 

tasks. The most difficult aspect of this process 

is determining what level of fitness should 

be the minimum acceptable level. There are 

numerous fitness tests in existence that can be 

used to determine which tests are appropriate. 

The FLETC has evaluated the three primary 

basic training programs and determined the 

three most applicable tests to be the (1) Illinois 

Agility Run, (2) the One Repetition Maximum 

Bench Press and (3) the 1.5 Mile Run. These 

tests were determined by evaluating the Physical 

Performance Requirements (PPRs) as identified 

by the Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from 

each training division. These PPRs were then 

validated by the Partner Organization (PO) 

representatives at the last three CRCs. After 

a thorough review of student performance, 

student dismissals, injury rates and training 

time missed due to injury, the FLETC was able 

to identify the 25th percentile on the Physical 

Efficiency Battery to be a reliable indicator of 

“fitness for training”. Most students who scored 

at the 25th percentile or higher on the initial 

PEB were successful not only in the physical 

components but also the mental components 

of basic training. In other words, those 

students possessed the physiological capacity to 

participate in all required training upon arrival at 

the FLETC. Since the focus of the assessment 

is to determine the physiological capacity of the 

individual, age and gender normative scoring 

is used to allow for the known physiological 

differences in males and females. This was 

published in January of 2010 as the FLETC 

Advisory Fitness Standard.

A key distinction between “fit for training” 

and “fit for duty” is the accuracy in which an 

organization can articulate the essential tasks 

that the individual must perform. In the 

training environment (such as FLETC), not 

only can the essential tasks be identified, but 

the frequency, duration and intensity of the 

performance can also be accurately documented. 

Taking the documentation of performance 

one step further, training organizations can 

generally identify the date and time trainees 

performed the required skills. This is in contrast 

to the operational or workplace setting where 

organizations can identify the skills necessary 

for the job, but find it very difficult to accurately 

identify the frequency, duration and intensity of 

A FLETC basic student attempts to bench 

press his maximum effort during the 

physical fitness standards test.
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 31

the skills due to the variability of assignments, 

shift-work, staffing levels, diverse duty stations, 

and numerous other factors. This variability 

makes it very difficult to have a high degree 

of accuracy and consistency in identifying 

an acceptable level of performance. It is for 

this very reason many agencies choose not to 

implement a physical requirement. However, 

it is these same agencies that could reap 

tremendous benefits from implementing a “fit 

for training” standard. As mentioned earlier, 

the frequency of required tasks varies greatly in 

an operational setting. In training, however, the 

trainee will be required to perform multiple sets 

and repetitions of given tasks multiple times 

throughout the training program, oftentimes 

multiple times daily. It is for this reason that 

it is often argued that the physical demands of 

training are greater than the physical demands 

of the operational setting. These known 

physical demands place an increased emphasis 

on the selection of candidates who possess the 

requisite physiological capacity to participate 

in training upon their arrival to an academy. 

When employing agencies select a higher quality 

candidate for training, they generally end up 

with a higher quality workforce.

By understanding the difference between “fit 

for training” and “fit for duty” and recognizing 

the physical demands of training, agencies 

can better determine a candidate’s suitability 

during the hiring process. This, in turn, will 

reduce unnecessary expenditures on candidates 

who do not complete training and eliminate 

unnecessary delays in filling open positions with 

qualified candidates/employees. This awareness 

also benefits applicants who now have a better 

understanding of the physical demands for 

training and their personal level of preparedness. 

This awareness should translate into a greater 

likelihood for success in training. 

Fit for training standards are available online 

at http://www.fletc.gov/training/programs/

physical-techniques-division/requirementdocuments/physical-efficiency-battery-peb.html.

TOP: Students have a thorough stretch prior to starting the FLETC 

physical fitness standards test. MIDDLE: The test also gauges the 

student’s flexibility. BOTTOM: A student dashes through orange 

cones during the agility portion of the test.
32 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

Training for Reality

BY JEFF DUPONT

FLETC DRIVER/MARINE TRAINING

Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!

This simple word repeated three times can make even the 

most seasoned mariner drop every task at hand, and alert 

them to an apparent dire situation. A Mayday call is the 

universal distress signal requesting immediate assistance 

for a boat that is in grave and imminent danger and 

where a real threat to life or property exists.

On July 25, 2010, Border Patrol Agents Salvatore 

Caccamo and Raul Tamayo of the Buffalo Sector, Niagara
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 33

BORDER PATROL AGENTS’ QUICK 

RESPONSE AND PREPAREDNESS 

SAVES LIVES ON LAKE ONTARIO

Falls Station, were preparing their 25-foot boat for an 

evening patrol on the Niagara River near its junction 

with Lake Ontario. As they were readying their craft, 

a Mayday call came across the boat’s VHF radio on 

emergency channel 16, just assagent Caccamo was 

completing his “pre-flight” checklist. Without any 

hesitation, both agents were quickly underway, speeding 

toward the last known position of the distressed vessel. 

Due to their thorough knowledge of the area, agents 

Caccamo and Tamayo were on the scene in a matter of 

minutes. 

With agent Caccamo acting as the vessel 

commander, agent Tamayo was tasked with the critical 

role of lookout. Tamayo stated that the sea state was 

rough, with waves measuring somewhere between 

three and four feet, which made spotting the distressed 

vessel difficult due to the pitching and rolling that 

they had to endure in their own boat. In addition, 

the boisterous condition of the lake’s surface created 

turbulent cresting waves and whitecaps. There were also 

numerous sailboats in the general vicinity, which made 

pinpointing the troubled vessel even more difficultbut not impossible. Agent Tamayo quickly spotted 

the foundering vessel as agent Caccamo skillfully 

maneuvered alongside.

The 24-foot Canadian pleasure vessel had already 

begun to sink and the vessel’s stern was underwater as 

agents Tamayo and Caccamo began to render aid. In 

addition to the two adults who were on board, there 

were also three children between the ages of eight and 

10 years of age. Although it was a relatively warm day, 

Tamayo stated that the water temperature was hovering 

around 70 degrees, which doesn’t sound very cold, 

unless you happen to be the one who is submerged. 

Contrary to popular belief, a person does not have to 

be in extremely cold water to become hypothermic. 

Various hypothermia temperature charts all concur that 

in 70 degree water, total exhaustion or unconsciousness 

may occur in as little as two hours after exposure; and 

with children, there is an accelerated risk as they cool 

more rapidly than an adult. 

A U.S. Border Patrol vessel races to be on station for an emergency. 

LEFT: The excitement on deckside before launch should be tempered 

by going through a “pre-flight” safety check list.
34 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

With this in mind, Tamayo and Caccamo knew 

that they had to act quickly. Agent Caccamo 

positioned the patrol vessel alongside the Canadians’ 

rapidly sinking boat as agent Tamayo was able 

to get all three children safely onboard the patrol 

vessel. Due to the violent and offset pitching of the 

opposing vessels, this was a dangerous task in itself. 

Just as the last child was brought onboard, the now 

fully swamped boat started to go under, leaving the 

two adults in the water and swimming towards the 

Border Patrol boat. Tamayo threw a lifeline to the 

man, but in his panicked state, the man tied the end 

of the line to his sinking boat, placing both vessels in 

jeopardy. Tamayo quickly reacted by cutting the line, 

freeing the patrol vessel from the sinking craft. As 

the two agents calmed the fears of three frightened 

children, Tamayo and Caccamo were still able to get 

both adults safely out of the water and harm’s way. 

Following a quick assessment of the rescued family, 

the agents transported them to the U.S. Coast Guard 

station in Niagara Falls for a medical screening and 

an official interview by Coast Guard personnel. 

Border Patrol agents Salvatore Caccamo and Raul 

Tamayo are both graduates of FLETC’s Marine Law 

Enforcement Training Program graduating from 

classes 808 and 901, respectively. When they were 

interviewed recently, both agents were asked what 

aspects of their training helped them the most as they 

were rescuing the Canadian family. Agent Caccamo, 

who was at the helm of the patrol vessel that day, 

said that the vessel handling class and the practical 

underway labs probably helped him the most and 

afforded him the necessary skills needed to safely 

maneuver within close quarters of the sinking boat. 

Prior to attending the MLETP, agent Caccamo’s only 

boating experience was on airboats while stationed in 

Del Rio, Texas. “My training kicked in and I was able 

to do what I needed to do without thinking about it,” 

stated Caccamo. 

Agent Tamayo’s response was similar to Caccamo’s, 

when he stated that the underway time spent in the 

MLETP really helped to prepare him for his duties 

patrolling U.S. waters. “We were able to react to the 

situation without thinking,” replied Tamayo. He also 

recalled certain elements of the Risk Assessment 

class, where sometimes certain risks are worth the 

reward, and in this case, helping save five lives was 

certainly worth the risk.

Due to their bravery, mastery of seamanship and 

exemplary skills that were put to the test in a time 

of peril, five lives that might have otherwise been 

lost have now been given a second chance. Because 

they selflessly placed themselves in harm’s way, 

agent Caccamo and agent Tamayo were awarded the 

coveted Newton-Azrak Award. The Newton-Azrak 

is awarded annually to the Border Patrol agents 

who voluntarily place themselves in life-threatening 

situations. This award is a tribute to Theodore 

Newton, Jr., and George Azrak, two Border Patrol 

inspectors who were kidnapped and murdered by 

drug traffickers in 1967 while they were working at a 

California highway checkpoint. Salvatore Caccamo 

and Raul Tamayo join the list of the 87 previous 

award winners, some who lost their lives in the line of 

duty and had been awarded the honor posthumously. 

When asked how they felt after receiving the 

award, they both humbly agreed that “any other agent 

in the same situation would have done the same 

thing that we did.” When interviewed separately, 

both agents gave credit to the other for their actions 

that day. Agent Tamayo gave praise to Caccamo’s 

boat handling skills in the difficult environmental 

conditions, and Agent Caccamo commended 

Tamayo’s ability to remain calm and composed during 

the ordeal. “His communication skills with the people 

in the other boat were exemplary,” added Caccamo.

 Unfortunately, the Canadian boat wasn’t able to 

be salvaged and she now rests in a watery grave on 

the bottom of Lake Ontario, joining thousands of 

other vessels that have gone down before her—no 

doubt some of them under similar circumstances. 

When asked how their patrol boat performed under 

the rough conditions, agent Tamayo joked, “If we are 

going to get into the rescue business, we may want to 

get a bigger boat next time!”

EDITOR’S NOTE: 

“Training for Reality” is a new feature that will be recurring in future 

issues of the Journal. As a law enforcement training publication, the 

Journal would like to showcase actual and extraordinary events that 

have occurred in the field, and then relate the facts of the event back 

to the FLETC training of those who were involved. The Journal staff 

will be actively soliciting suggestions for future stories. If you have 

a suggestion for an interesting story, please contact Jeff DuPont @ 

912-267-2480; email: jeffrey.dupont@dhs.gov or Susan Thornton @ 

912-267-2173; email: susan.thornton@dhs.gov. 
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 35

ICE Trains 

International Partners 

at the FLETC

BY BARBARA GONZALEZ AND DANI BENNETT, ICE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ICE ACADEMY

Mexican Customs officers are currently participating in a two-week 

shadowing program at various U.S. Immigration and Customs 

Enforcement Special Agent in Charge offices. The shadowing 

program, which will allow them to see how ICE special agents work in the 

field in real scenarios, is part of an overall partnership between ICE and the 

Mexican government to train Mexican Customs officers.

Last October, a group of 24 Mexican Customs officers completed a rigorous 

and unprecedented 10-week training program at the U.S. Immigration and 

Customs Enforcement Academy located at the Federal Law Enforcement 

Training Center in Charleston, SC. The program was modeled on the ICE 

Special Agent Training Program, to prepare them to more effectively fight 

crime along the southern border and within Mexico.

The ICE-sponsored Mexican Customs Investigator Training consisted of 

physical training starting every day at 5:30 a.m., followed by eight to 10 hours 

of classroom instruction and hands-on training in defensive tactics, firearms, 

ABOVE: A Mexican Customs 

officer practices a defensive drill 

during his training hosted by 

U.S. Immigration and Customs 

Enforcement at the FLETC.
36 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

and practical exercises. A large block of the curriculum 

was also dedicated to officer safety, internal controls and 

integrity training. The students also received training in 

Mexican and U.S. customs laws.

According to James S. Thomas, unit chief of 

international training at the ICE Academy, the goals 

of the program were to build the capacity of the 

Mexican law enforcement agency to address human 

trafficking, drug trafficking, arms trafficking, and other 

illicit contraband, and to stimulate communication, 

cooperation and coordination between the law 

enforcement agencies and prosecutors in each country. 

The main benefit for ICE was to establish a closer 

law enforcement relationship with our Mexican 

counterparts and develop a means to share investigative 

leads and intelligence, according to Thomas.

What most surprised him was the humble courage 

expressed by the trainees when the instructors first 

asked the class why they volunteered for the training, 

considering the great risk to law enforcement officers in 

Mexico. “The answer was ‘because it is the right thing to 

do.’ No one had a desire for glory or recognition. They 

all just wanted to contribute to the safety and integrity 

of their country.”

The students were selected by Mexico Customs in 

coordination with the ICE Attaché Mexico City and 

underwent a thorough screening by ICE. Thomas said 

he thinks that the 10-week course provided the students 

with confidence, hope, and pride in their abilities.

There were 22 instructors from ICE in all, including 

trainers from ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations 

(HSI), Enforcement and Removal Operations, Office of 

Professional Responsibility and the National Firearms 

and Tactical Training Unit.

A graduation ceremony was held for the students at 

FLETC in Charleston, S.C., on Oct. 22, 2010, which 

was attended by Department of Homeland Security 

Secretary Janet Napolitano; Mexico’s Secretary of 

Treasury Ernesto Cordero Arroyo; Director of Tax 

Administration Service and Customs Alfredo Gutierrez 

Ortiz Mena; former Director of Mexico Customs Juan 

Jose Bravo, ICE Director John Morton; and former 

ICE Deputy Director Alonzo R. Peña, a long-standing 

supporter and active leader in bi-national cooperation 

with Mexico, who was largely responsible for bringing 

the training to fruition.

The event marked a landmark achievement by 

DHS and ICE in its commitment to partner with 

Mexico in confronting drug cartels and other criminal 

organizations whose actions undermine public safety, 

erode the rule of law and threaten the national security 

of the United States, Mexico and the world at large.

Morton commended the students for completing the 

challenging and physically demanding course work that 

included getting a dousing of pepper spray. Morton said 

MEXCIT is the first of its kind and “stands as a shining 

example of the strength of the U.S. and Mexico’s 

commitment to bilateral cooperation.”

Morton said to the graduating students, “As you go 

forward in your careers, remember that at ICE, we will 

be good partners to you, and we know we can rely on 

you to be good partners to us.”

Napolitano congratulated the graduates and in her 

prepared remarks she said that in the last several years 

we have seen “a greater level of security cooperation 

between our two countries than at any point in our 

histories.” In speaking about the drug cartels that 

operate in both the U.S. and Mexico, Napolitano 

said that “fighting them demands a response that is 

transnational and that is coordinated.”

Also addressing the crowd was Secretary Cordero 

who said, “ICE has great experience and wonderful 

information, and the opportunity to share in that is 

extremely beneficial.”

A MEXCIT graduate, whose name was withheld for 

security reasons, said the training was more than gaining 

A Mexican Customs agent demonstrates proper handcuffing technique 

during training hosted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at 

the FLETC.
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 37

knowledge. “It’s about wisdom.” He said he was eager to 

apply his newfound knowledge in his law enforcement 

role in Mexico. “This is another tool to use to combat 

crime and all that crime provokes. We want to have a 

safe country with people and families enjoying their 

lives,” he said.

The youngest student, a woman who celebrated her 

23rd birthday during the course, said of the instructors, 

“They took the most important work of their life and 

gave it to us. It was a precious gift.”

At the completion of the course, the students 

provided feedback and evaluation of the training. A 

second evaluation will also be completed to determine 

if the training has been helpful and what could be 

improved.

Since the first-ever MEXIT training, a great amount 

of interest has been expressed by Mexico in attending 

additional training. Thomas is confident that as the 

awareness of the program increases, so will the requests 

for attending.

In addition to the Criminal Investigator Training, 

the ICE Academy at FLETC, in coordination with 

the ICE Office of International Affairs, hosts at least 

four International Taskforce Agent Training seminars 

annually.

The three-week ITAT course, which has been 

conducted since 2004, is a training program designed to 

provide foreign national investigators with knowledge 

and the practical application needed to perform 

fundamentals of investigative activities that will assist 

the various ICE HSI Attaché offices, as well as their 

own office, with joint investigations.

The international students receive classroom and/

or laboratory instruction in: general smuggling 

investigations, affidavits, conspiracy investigations, 

controlled deliveries, investigative report writing, 

investigative methods, interviewing, informant 

management, surveillance techniques, tracing of funds, 

warrant entries, cyber crimes, money laundering, 

evidence processing, undercover operational planning 

and safety, understanding of U.S. immigration laws, and 

non-lethal firearms training. 

Since 2005, the ICE Academy has conducted 24 

CIT and ITAT classes, training 316 officers from seven 

different countries using State Department Merida 

funding. The 316 officers represent offices of the 

Attorney General, Customs, National Police, Armed 

Forces, Immigration and Border Control agencies. 

So far in fiscal year 2011, the ICE Academy has conducted 

trainings with law enforcement officers and attorneys 

from Ecuador and Panama. Training with Guatemala is 

currently in session and training with Honduras is scheduled 

for later this year.

A Mexican Customs agent demonstrates arrest procedures during training 

hosted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the FLETC.
38 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

search. Chimel, 395 U.S. at 754. The 

Court found the search to be unlawful 

and held that “absent some grave 

emergency,” the Fourth Amendment 

requirement of reasonableness 

mandates that “the police must, 

whenever practical, obtain advance 

judicial approval of searches through 

the warrant procedure.” Id. at 761 

(citations omitted). 

Nevertheless, the Court 

acknowledged the need for officer 

safety and the preservation of evidence. 

To serve those needs, the Court 

found that, following a lawful arrest, 

an officer may reasonably search the 

arrestee without a warrant in order 

to locate and remove any weapons 

that the arrestee could use in order 

to resist arrest or escape. Further, the 

Court held that the arresting officer 

may search for and seize any evidence 

on the arrestee’s person in order to 

prevent its concealment or destruction. 

In short, the Court concluded that the 

scope of a reasonable SIA includes the 

arrestee’s person and the area “within 

his immediate control,” but not closed 

or concealed areas in the room of arrest 

or rooms other than that in which an 

arrest occurs. Id. at 762-63.

B. New York v. Belton

Against the foregoing backdrop, the 

Court, in 1981, addressed the question 

of the permissible scope of a SIA 

when the arrestee, at the time of or 

immediately before arrest, was an 

operator or passenger in a vehicle. New 

York v. Belton, 453 U.S. 454 (1981). In 

Vehicular Search Incident 

BY JIM MCADAMS

FLETC LEGAL TRAINING

I. INTRODUCTION

The right of the people to be secure 

in their persons, houses, papers, and 

effects, against unreasonable searches 

and seizures, shall not be violated, 

and no Warrants shall issue, but 

upon probable cause, supported by 

Oath or affirmation, and particularly 

describing the place to be searched, 

and the persons or things to be seized.

The Fourth Amendment is a shield 

against all unreasonable searches and 

seizures by the government, but not 

against all warrantless searches and 

seizures. One instance of a reasonable 

warrantless search that has been 

recognized by the Supreme Court is a 

search incident to a valid arrest (SIA) 

as defined over 40 years ago in the 

Supreme Court’s decision in Chimel 

v. California, 395 U.S. 752 (1969). 

Two years ago, in Arizona v. Gant, 

___ U.S. ___, 129 S.Ct. 1710, 1714 

(2009), a divided court wrestled with 

how to impose clarity and discipline 

on the law pertaining to when a SIA 

may include a vehicle’s passenger 

compartment recently occupied by the 

arrestee. This paper will summarize 

that decision and the legal precedent 

upon which it was based and provide 

this writer’s assessment of how the 

law enforcement officer’s approach to 

those searches should be modified in 

light of the Gant decision.

II. PRE-GANT CASE LAW

A. Chimel v. California

In Chimel v. California, 395 U.S. 

752 (1969), officers with an arrest 

warrant searched Chimel’s entire 

residence along with a garage and 

another outbuilding, and compelled 

Chimel’s wife to assist them in that 
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 39

LegalBrief

to Arrest after Gant

that case, the police officer lawfully 

stopped a car with four occupants 

because the driver was speeding. As 

he approached the vehicle after the 

stop, the officer smelled the odor of 

marijuana and saw an envelope on the 

floor of the car on which was printed 

a symbol for marijuana. He ordered 

the occupants out of the car, retrieved 

and opened the envelope, and found 

that it contained marijuana. Inside the 

pocket of the defendant’s jacket, which 

was also in the car, the officer found 

cocaine. Id. at 456.

The Court upheld the search of 

Belton’s jacket, concluding that 

“when a policeman has made 

a lawful custodial arrest of the 

occupant of an automobile, he may, 

as a contemporaneous incident of 

that arrest, search the passenger 

compartment of that automobile.” 

Id. at 460. In doing so, the Court 

found that it is reasonable to conclude 

that articles inside the passenger 

compartment of an arrestee’s car are 

within “the area into which an arrestee 

might reach in order to grab a weapon 

or [evidence].” Id.(quoting Chimel, 395 

at 763).

C. Thornton v. United States

 Left unanswered in Belton was the 

question of the lawfulness of the 

SIA of a vehicle when the person 

arrested had already vacated the car. 

In Thornton v. United States, 541 

U.S. 615 (2004), a police officer 

attempted unsuccessfully to conduct 

a traffic stop of Thornton; it was only 

after Thornton had later voluntarily 

stopped and exited his vehicle that 

the officer initiated contact with him. 

At the time, Thornton consented to 

being frisked and during that frisk 

the officer found illegal drugs on 

Thornton’s person. The officer placed 

Thornton under arrest, handcuffed 

him, and placed him in the back seat 

of the officer’s car. After doing so, the 

officer returned to Thornton’s car and 

searched it, finding a firearm under 

the driver’s seat. Id. at 618.

In his motion to suppress the 

firearm, Thornton argued that 

the officer’s search of his car was 

unconstitutional because it occurred 

when he was no longer an occupant 

of that car. Id. at 618-19. The Court 

was unimpressed, however, holding 

that the concerns of officer safety and 

evidence destruction are the same 

regardless of whether the suspect is 

inside or outside of the car, if he is still 

in control of it. Id. at 620-21. 

III. ARIZONA V. GANT

Shortly after arresting two individuals 

at a residence for providing false 

information and for possession of 

drug paraphernalia, police officers in 

Tucson, Arizona, recognized Rodney 

Gant as he arrived in his car. Aware 

that Gant’s driver’s license had been 

suspended, one officer approached 

as Gant parked and got out of his 

car, shutting the door behind him. 

At a point about 10 to 12 feet from 

Gant’s car, the officer arrested Gant 

for driving on a suspended license, 

handcuffed him, and placed him in the 

backseat of a police vehicle. A search 

of Gant’s car incident to that arrest 

revealed a gun and a bag of cocaine in 
40 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

the pocket of a jacket on the backseat. 

Arizona v. Gant, 129 S.Ct. at 1714. 

Charged with possession of drugs 

and drug paraphernalia, Gant argued 

that the warrantless search of his 

vehicle was not justified under Belton 

because (1) he posed no threat to the 

officers after he was handcuffed and 

in the patrol car and (2) because he 

was arrested for a traffic offense for 

which no evidence could be found in 

his vehicle. Id. at 1715. The Arizona 

Supreme Court concluded that a 

warrantless search of a vehicle after 

its owner is arrested, handcuffed and 

secured in the back of a police car 

and the scene is otherwise secure, is 

unconstitutional. Id. at 1716. 

The United States Supreme 

Court agreed. Along the lines of 

Justice Scalia’s concurring opinion 

in Thornton, the Court explained 

that vehicle SIAs after the arrest 

of a recent occupant of that vehicle 

must be based on “the safety and 

evidentiary justifications underlying 

Chimel’s reaching distance rule.” Id.

at 1714. The Court stated that earlier 

readings of Belton were unnecessarily 

broad, resulting in the conclusion that 

the search of a vehicle incident to 

arrest was a police entitlement rather 

than as a narrow exception to the 

warrant requirement applicable only 

when the facts actually demonstrate 

officer safety or evidence destruction 

issues as contemplated in Chimel.” Id. 

at 1718. Thus, the Court concluded, 

such searches are only permissible 

when (1) the arrestee retains actual 

access to the interior of the vehicle, or 

(2) the arresting officer has “reason to 

believe” that evidence of the crime for 

which he made the arrest exists in the 

car. Id. at 1723-24. 

IV. SIA of Vehicles after Gant

Clear from the holding in Gant is 

that the teachings of Chimel remain 

good law. That is, following a valid 

arrest, the arresting officer may 

conduct a warrantless search of “the 

space within an arrestee’s “immediate 

control” and “the area from which he 

might gain possession of a weapon 

or destructible evidence.” Id. at 1718 

(quoting Chimel, 395 U.S. at 763)

(emphasis added). The Court in Gant 

made abundantly clear that the vehicle 

search in that case failed to meet that 

standard because it happened after 

Gant was handcuffed and secured in 

the back of a patrol car. Accordingly, 

law enforcement’s longstanding 

presumption of “immediate control” 

of the interior of a vehicle merely 

because of proximity to the arrestee is 

no more. 

Unlike in Thornton, the officers in 

Gant lacked any basis for concluding 

that Gant possessed narcotics on his 

person at the time of his initial arrest, 

something that even under Gant could 

provide a basis for extending the SIA 

to a vehicle from which the arrestee 

had just exited. Because of those 

narrow differences of underlying facts 

between the two cases, and because 

the Gant expressly rejected any notion 

that it was overruling Thornton, id. 

at 1722, it would seem reasonable 

to conclude that the actual change 

effected by Gant to law enforcement 

officer’s post-arrest search authority 

may be viewed as similarly narrow.

Thus, if an arresting officer has 

no vehicle or similar venue for use 

in securing an arrestee in a case 

involving drugs or another serious 

felony, the officer may reasonably 

conclude that, even if the defendant 

is handcuffed, his vehicle remains 

within his immediate control and a 

place where he could gain possession 

of a weapon or destructible evidence. 

Similarly, if the officer is alone but 

dealing with multiple arrestees who 

recently occupied a vehicle, it may be 

reasonably argued that the officer may 

conduct a quick search of the vehicle 

for weapons and destructible evidence 

to ensure his safety before moving the 

arrestees away from the vehicle. 

On the other hand, after Gant, 

absent some similar basis for finding 

the potential for access to the vehicle, 

officer safety will not justify a SIA of 

the vehicle. In that case, the officer 

wishing to make a lawful search of 

the vehicle’s interior must be prepared 

to articulate an objective basis for 

concluding that the car is a repository 

of evidence of the crime that is the 

basis of the arrest. E.g., United States 

v. Slone, 636 F.3d 845, *17- *21 (7th 

Cir. 2011). 

V. CONCLUSION

Gant need not be viewed as a 

significant impediment to effective 

post-arrest searches of vehicles. If an 

arresting officer is able to articulate 

reasonable facts that demonstrate a 

realistic likelihood that the arrestee 

(or another acting to assist the arrestee 

by gaining access to a weapon or 

destructible evidence) retains access 

to the vehicle, a SIA of that vehicle 

would pass the test of Gant. If the 

officer is able to articulate a reason 

to believe that the vehicle contains 

evidence of the crime for which he has 

just made an arrest, Gant would allow 

an ensuing search of the passenger 

compartment of the vehicle. Absent 

such articulable facts, the likelihood 

that a SIA of the vehicle would be 

lawful is small. 

1 Interestingly, Justice Scalia declined to join 

the Thornton majority in its opinion though he 

concurred with its decision. In his concurrence, 

Justice Scalia wrote, with some prescience when 

viewed in light of the Court’s later decision in 

Gant, that the majority had “stretched Belton 

beyond [its]breaking point” and opined that it 

should be limited to cases in which the arresting 

officer has “...[reason] to believe evidence relevant 

to the crime of arrest might be found in the 

vehicle.” Id. at 625-29 (Scalia, J., concurring).

2 The Supreme Court has not specifically defined 

“reasonable to believe” as that term was used 

in Gant. Some courts have equated Gant’s 

“reasonable to believe” standard with probable 

cause. See, e.g., United States v. Grote, 629 F. 

Supp. 2d 1201, 1203 (E.D. Wash. 2009). Other 

courts have found that Gant’s reasonable belief 

standard is less than probable cause. See, e.g., 

United States v. Vinton, 2010 U.S.App. LEXIS 2450 

(2010).
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 41

actual geographic area of the world. For example, 

if the condition at St. Simon’s lighthouse 

happens to be low tide at a particular time of 

day or night, the simulator will also reflect a 

low tide at the same time during a simulated 

exercise. “The marine simulation laboratory 

hasn’t reduced any of the actual underway time 

for our students. What we have seen though, is 

more efficient time underway when the student 

has had simulations training beforehand,” 

stated Floyd. He added “Unfortunately, we 

cannot control the weather and at times we are 

physically unable to get underway for training. 

We can however, replicate those underway 

marine exercises in the simulator lab, therefore 

allowing the students to meet training objectives 

and eliminate lost training time.”

As with any technologically-based training, 

simulation programs and their capabilities are 

advancing significantly. The SIB is constantly 

studying and reviewing new and existing 

data in order to bring simulated training into 

the mainstream of law enforcement training 

methodologies. Not only is the SIB active in 

its simulations research, it is also associated 

with partner organizations such as the Royal 

Canadian Mounted Police, the US Merchant 

Marine Academy, the US Coast Guard, the US 

Navy, the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Office, 

the Los Angeles Port Police, the Dallas Police 

Department, the Jacksonville Sheriff ’s Office 

and the California Highway Patrol, just to name 

a few. All of these organizations are presently 

leaders in the simulation training arena and 

have collaborated with FLETC’s SIB, sharing 

information, knowledge and data on many 

simulations training issues.

With the new SIB in place and the threestep program ready for launch, DMD is on 

the threshold of making some major changes 

to driver training. Not only will these changes 

influence FLETC’s partner organizations, but 

they will also have a huge impact on hundreds 

of other departments nationwide. Since 1975, 

over 1,300 state and local agencies have sent 

their driving instructors to attend FLETC’s 

Law Enforcement Driver Instructor Training 

Program, (LEDITP). Many of those newly 

trained FLETC driving instructors in turn 

have returned to their respective agencies and 

created driver training programs, which are 

modeled after, and mimic the LEDITP. In a 

sense, DMD’s newly adopted training approach 

will have a “trickle down” effect and eventually 

change and help to improve driver training 

programs nationwide. 

With a new approach to driver training and 

reinvented philosophies, FLETC’s Driver 

and Marine Division stands ready to accept 

and adapt to any new challenge that it may 

encounter in the future. The DMD will always 

make the necessary adjustments in training to 

offer the absolute best product available. Chief 

Brown emphasized, “We want to ensure that 

anyone who passes through our doors exits a 

better, more thoroughly trained agent.”

SAFETY PAGE 10

In a sense, DMD’s newly adopted 

training approach will have a 

“trickle down” effect and eventually 

change and help to improve driver 

training programs nationwide. 
42 JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers| Fall 2011

CONTINUED FROM PIRACY PAGE 22

and security. Regional powers such as India, People’s 

Republic of China, Turkey or Brazil could not continue 

its economic prosperity without open sea lanes. Yet, 

providing sea security is an incredibly expensive 

undertaking and only the U.S. maritime services are 

capable of leading this coalition. 

The sea makes up over 70% of the earth’s surface 

and most people live in or are moving to coastal areas. 

History has shown, since the Athenians in 5th century 

B.C. that states that are geographically located on sea 

trading routes are wealthier. Therefore, urban growth 

will continue to sprawl near port cities and cities with 

access to the global supply chain. Globalization has 

uplifted millions out of poverty due to the sea power 

that the U.S. and its coalition partners have provided 

in securing the sea lanes over the past several decades. 

Continued economic prosperity for all states will rely 

heavily on the efforts of the U.S. and its allies projecting 

power and in assuring safety on the high seas and 

its critical chokepoints. Current maritime security 

operations that are taking place, such as that of the 

Combined Task Forces throughout the Arabian Gulf 

and other regions will continue to assist in controlling 

piracy and the threat of terrorists in our most vital 

regions of sea trade.

1. The White House, The National Strategy for Maritime Security, http://

www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/HSPD13_MaritimeSecurityStrategy.pdf

2. Catherine Holahan, “The Real Cost of Piracy,” http://articles.

moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/the-real-cost-of-piracy.aspx

3. Gal Luft and Anne Korin, “Terrorism Goes to Sea,” Foreign Affairs 83, 

no. 6 November/December 2004.

4. Michael Richardson, A Time Bomb for Global Trade, p. vi, ISEAS 

Publications, 2004.

5. Jennifer Giroux and Caroline Hilpert, The Relationship between Energy, 

Infrastructure Attacks and Crude Oil, The Journal of Energy Security, Oct 

2009. http://www.ensec.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=sect

ion&layout=blog&id=24&Itemid=352

6. Catherine Holahan.

7. Mahan, Alfred Thayer, The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 

1660–1783 (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1890).

8. The White House, The National Strategy for Maritime Security, http://

www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/HSPD13_MaritimeSecurityStrategy.pdf

B

T

Y SCOTT CURLEY,

he FLETC Charleston Training Division, Maritime 

Training Branch, conducts training for federal, state 

and local law enforcement agents and officers and military

personnel on piracy issues and how to board, search, and 

clear compliant and non-compliant commercial vessels. 

Courses taught at FLETC Charleston are: Seaport 

Security Anti-terrorism, Maritime Tactical Operations, 

and Commercial Vessel Boarding. 

During the Seaport Security Anti-terrorism training 

program students are given a class on Maritime Piracy 

and Crime which covers: current piracy events, common 

tactics employed by pirates, areas around the world with 

the highest threat from piracy, countermeasures employed 

by the shipping industry to prevent piracy, threats to 

persons within the maritime industry, and the growing 

relationship between piracy and terrorism. 

During the Maritime Tactical Operations Training 

Program students are taught techniques for boarding, 

searching and clearing a vessel that has been taken over 

by pirates or terrorists. The topics covered during this 

training are: tactical water survival, hook and climb 

procedures for watercraft infiltration, safety hazards 

FLETC CHARLESTON associated with hook and climb, performing multiple 

climbs using hook and ladder equipment on large 

commercial vessels as well as boarding smaller commercial 

vessels that do not require hook and climb gear. Once on 

board students are taught tactical vessel clearing, use of 

specialized tools, and how to gain positive control of the 

vessel. 

Commercial Vessel Boarding Training Program is 

designed for law enforcement or military that will be 

boarding large and small compliant commercial vessels. 

Students learn about the different types of commercial 

vessels including design, compartmentalization, water 

tight integrity, and hazards associated with boarding those 

vessels. The course also covers pre-boarding procedures, 

boarding procedures, vessel clearing and searching for 

unaccounted for persons and officer water survival.

These training programs help prepare law enforcement 

and military personnel to handle a maritime terrorist 

incident in the United States and better prepare officers 

that may be engaged in the piracy missions overseas. More 

information can be found at www.fletc.gov/about-fletc/

locations/charleston.

Marine Piracy and Crime Classes at FLETC
 

JOURNAL of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers | Fall 2011 43

2010 FLETC Honor Graduate

Eric Heiple, U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division

ALICIA GREGORY

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The FLETC 

presented its Honor 

Graduate of the 

Year Award for 

2010 to U.S. Secret 

Service Uniformed 

Officer Eric M. 

Heiple during a 

ceremony held July 

12, 2011. This award 

is offered annually 

to the FLETC 

basic training honor 

graduate with the highest academic average. FLETC 

Deputy Director Ken Keene presented Heiple the 

award in the presence of his family, friends, fellow Secret 

Service members and FLETC staff. Congressional 

representatives, federal, state and local law enforcement 

officers, and community leaders attended the annual 

event. and offered their congratulations and support to 

the U.S. Secret Service officer.

Heiple graduated from the FLETC Uniformed Police 

Training Program Class 011 on May 27, 2010, with an 

academic average of 98.21, a perfect firearms score of 

300, and a Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB) average 

of 96. He also received several awards while attending 

FLETC, including the Distinguished Fitness Award, 

the Academic Award, the Driving Award and the 

Distinguished Expert Award in Firearms.

The keynote speaker at the event was U.S. Secret 

Service Uniformed Division Chief Kevin Simpson. 

“There is no greater honor than to pay special tribute to 

one of our own for his accomplishments,” said Simpson. 

“Eric not only gave it his best shot, he gave it his all. 

He has shown that with hard work, determination and 

self-sacrifice, you can 

accomplish your goals.”

Past recipients of 

the FLETC Honor 

Graduate of the Year 

Award include officers 

and agents with the 

Diplomatic Security 

Service, U.S. Customs 

and Border Protection, 

National Park Service, 

U.S. Capitol Police, 

Department of Housing 

and Urban Development, Defense Criminal Investigative 

Service, General Services Administration, Department 

of State, U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Coast Guard.

“Although your performance is a tribute to the Secret 

Service and its recruitment and hiring standards, it is 

your dedication and determination to master all of the 

skills and knowledge necessary to become a federal 

officer that we are here to acknowledge,” said Keene. 

Heiple is assigned to the U.S. Secret Service 

Uniformed Division in Washington, D.C. In this role, 

he provides protection for the White House Complex, 

which includes the President of the United States, his 

family, staff and visitors. Heiple is also responsible for the 

enforcement of access control policies, federal law and 

Washington, D.C. criminal code. 

Prior to his position with the Secret Service, Heiple 

was a loss prevention supervisor for a major national 

retail organization. He was also a graduate assistant at 

Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, from 

where he earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in 

Administration of Justice.

From left: U.S. Secret Service 

Uniformed Division Chief 

Kevin Simpson, 2010 FLETC 

Honor Graduate of the Year 

Eric Heiple, and FLETC 

Deputy Director Ken Keene.
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers

U. S. Department of Homeland Security

1131 Chapel Crossing Road

Glynco, Georgia 31524

www.fletc.gov

We train those who protect our homeland

Sunrise over Glynco athletic field