On May 25, Office of Field Operations (OFO) held their first citizen’s academy at the Area Port of Memphis. The purpose of the academy was for the growing port to teach their community and law enforcement partners to understand their vital role in protecting America. The experience provided a fun and interactive way to educate and develop positive relations.
OFO invited the Collierville Police Department’s Explorers as special guests for this first ever event. Law enforcement explorers is a youth version of a citizens academy, and so Memphis OFO officers took the opportunity to have their own children (between the ages of 14-20) join as well. The explorers and officer’s children had the opportunity to learn and experience the life of a CBP officer in the air and land environment. They were given presentations on imposter detection techniques within realistic scenarios, and were able to demonstrate what they learned. Officer’s presented various tools that CBP uses everyday, such as the substance detector Gemini, Scope, Buster and techniques in evidence collection.
“CBP is always growing and changing; that includes the future generations of officers,” said Assistant Area Port Director Crystal Lopera. “It was an honor to spend the day with these young adults who will be our future law enforcement.”
The Area Port of Memphis, covering ports of entry throughout the state of Tennessee, is assigned to CBP’s New Orleans Field Office, which includes ports in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee.
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