Law Enforcement Academy Hosts UAE Cadets in International Exchange

Six cadets from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently graduated from the Collin College Law Enforcement Academy (CCLEA) in a program that organizers believe could be the basis for cross-cultural police training exchanges around the world.

The program was organized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the Ministry of the Interior of the UAE, working with the Collin College Law Enforcement Academy. The cadets participated in the colleges 24-week, 855-hour basic police officer training program, going through the same rigorous training required by CCLEA graduates to earn Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) certification.

The cadets learned Texas law and traffic codes and the criminal code of procedure, as well as crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques, defensive tactics, and skills training in firearms and driving.

The program has been phenomenal, Law Enforcement Academy Director Scott Donaldson said. I think that anytime you start something, you have expectations, and I would say the program has exceeded those.

Donaldson was impressed by the international exchange cadets willingness to embrace the training and their fellow cadets, all of whom were sponsored by local law enforcement agencies. He noted that the cadets were among some of the best in the class always on time, courteous and willing to give 100 percent in every activity.

The cadets are extremely competitive, which we like to see, Donaldson said. They want to be the best. They represented their country extremely well.

Anas Yousef Alharmi, a cadet from Ras Al Khaimah, said that the realistic field training at the academy was especially helpful in understanding their role as peace officers.

In my opinion, the realistic training is the most useful thing because when it comes to the field and daily situations this is actually what law enforcement does dealing with the community, he said.

This group of cadets graduated as part of the academys 111 class in October, but Vince Hawkes, the director of Global Policing for the IACP, hopes that exchange programs like this one can become the basis for further partnerships.

This type of global partnership between Collin College and IACPs Global Policing Division is an incredible opportunity to collaborate with agencies from around the world on this type of educational exchange, with the potential to expand to more senior leadership programs in the future, Hawkes said.

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