LAPD & Central American Police Training Combats International Gang Violence

Photo by STERLINGDAVISPHOTO via the LAist Featured Photos pool

American and Central American law enforcement authorities collaborate today to defend citizens against gang violence. Dozens of Central American police officers, according to CBS LA, gathered in the Southland to train with the LAPD on battling gang crimes on an international level.

This collaboration, The Central American Law Enforcement Exchange (CALEE), invites about 30 officers from the U.S., El Salvador, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras and other countries to participate in a week-long training class.

Los Angeles should benefit from CALEE, according to FBI officials.

“There’s about 450 to 500 gangs here in Los Angeles…with MS-13 and 18th Street there’s somewhere between 5,000 and 7,000 gang members,” said FBI Special Agent Robert Clark.