News Releases

For Immediate Release: Friday, October 17, 2014

Fourteen Chilean police officers spent the past two weeks executing scenario based tactical training as provided by the Montgomery County Police Public Safety Training Academy. The program, supported by Chief J. Thomas Manger, is part of the department's on-going effort to promote cultural diversity. The program arose in part from one officer's passion to reach out and assist the South American Country in developing safety for his Hispanic brothers/ sisters in law enforcement. Officer Fernando Carvajal liaisoned with the Chilean Police for a third year, fostering a friendship that goes far beyond just tactics and solidifies a bond that is shared by all police, regardless of jurisdictional boundaries.

Yesterday, the Chilean officers were awarded certificates of training by the Chilean Ambassador to the United States, Juan Gabriel Valdés. Five Montgomery County Police instructors were also honored by the very grateful nation for training these officers that come from a national police force of 50,000 officers. The goal was to train the trainer in an effort to impact public safety in this latin american country.

“If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.”- George Bernard Shaw.

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