In late February the Gulf Coast Diplomacy council hosted a group of three professionals from Colombia who participated in an International Visitor Leadership (IVLP) project titled “Combating International and Organized Crime.”
To kick off the first day of professional appointments in Pensacola, Councilman Charles Bare welcomed them to Pensacola City Hall and gave them an orientation and a gift from Mayor Ashton Hayward III. Councilman Bare provided the visitors with information on the local economy, poverty, environmental concerns, and gender violence. Next, the group headed to KlaasKIDS where they met with Brad Dennis, Director of the National Search Center for Missing Children, to discuss the work being done by the center and highlight KlaasKIDS’ collaboration with national and local law enforcement in combating human trafficking.
After enjoying lunch downtown, the group made its way to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Pensacola Regional Operations Center where the visitors met Mary Jean Havener, Chief of Forensic Services, and Jeffrey Duncan, Assistant Special Agent in Charge. Here the group participated in a detailed tour of the crime lab facilities and a discussion of FDLE’s work in combating organized crime.
On their second day of programming, our Colombian visitors went aboard Naval Air Station to visit NETSAFA (Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity) and to meet with Commander Russell Van Diepen. They learned about the U.S. Navy’s courses in International Anti-Terrorism and Anti- Piracy and later enjoyed a tour of the National Museum of Naval Aviation. In their last appointment of the day, our visitors met with the Pensacola Police Department to learn about local law enforcement and their K-9 unit.
The Gulf Ccoast Citizen Diplomacy Council extends a special thank you to all of those listed above, without whom this project would not have been possible.
