A Royal Gibraltar Police Officer has just returned to the Rock after taking part in an FBI training conference in Belgium. 

Chief Inspector Paul Chipolina joined over 300 former FBI Academy graduates and international law enforcement representatives in the city of Ghent between the 23 and 27 of September.

The event was organised by the European Chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates (NAA) – a global association of around 14,000 members, who are all former alumni of the FBI’s National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. 

CI Chipolina was admitted to the NAA after graduating from the FBI’s 11-week programme in March of this year. 

The FBI NAA is organised into regional chapters, namely, the Americas, Europe, Asia/Pacific and Africa/Middle East, with each region organising annual training events for its membership. 

The theme for the European Chapter’s 39th annual training conference was “Dealing with Sexual and Domestic Violence.” 

Delegates took part in a total of 19 training workshops, briefings and presentations, delivered by representatives from Belgian, Dutch and Swiss law enforcement, security agencies and judicial institutions, including senior Police Officers, Magistrates, Judges, Forensic Psychologists and Psychiatrists. 

Participants at the event were also addressed by the Belgian Minister of the Interior, the chair of the Belgian Senate, the US Ambassador to Belgium and the FBI’s Executive Assistance Director. 

In addition to the training schedule, delegates participated in a number of professional networking and social events, including an early morning 5km “Cobblestones Run” through Gent’s streets, which saw 2,000 euros raised for charity. 

Commenting on the event, CI Chipolina said: “The theme of this year’s event is evidence of the importance being attached to Sexual and Domestic Violence in contemporary policing across the European continent. Our Belgian counterparts, supported by the NAA European Chapter board, the US embassy and FBI, produced a very comprehensive training programme delivered by seasoned professionals and subject matter experts. 

“I found the briefings on various recent complex criminal investigations and analyses of offender behaviours by FBI colleagues, together with some victim and social care programmes being piloted across Europe particularly insightful. Additionally, the event’s strong networking element, a cornerstone of the NAA, enabled me to meet up with international colleagues and former academy alumni, including several European counterparts who graduated with me earlier this year. One innovation at this year’s event was the introduction of the 5km run to raise funds for charity (over some rather treacherous cobblestones may I add), and which will remain going forward.”