Lt. David McGinty was recently selected to study how the Polish National Police works to serve, protect and maintain public order and security in central Europe. He returned last month after two weeks in Poland, studying community policing and crime prevention activities at work in some of the country's most populous areas.
Thanks to funding from the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas, McGinty saw how the Polish police work to ensure public safety, detect and investigate crimes within a country of nearly 38 million people.
McGinty said the experience was invaluable. He took part in officer walk the block activities and was able to see firsthand the impact that geographic policing has on communities, including public spaces such as large retail shopping districts.
He met with Polish National Police Commander-in-Chief General Marek Dzialoszynski. While there, McGinty joined top-ranking Polish officials and the U.S. consulate general to Poland at a 9-11 remembrance ceremony in the city of Kielce.
The Polish National Police is a much larger law enforcement organization and boasts a different type of command structure, McGinty said. The National Police is comprised of 16 regional police headquarters, 329 district headquarters and 2,017 police stations. In Arlington, McGinty serves as the Traffic Commander and has been with the department since July 1991.
'It was a great experience in information sharing and learning,' McGinty said. 'Through this program, we're forming many important relationships.'
Since 2007, the LEMIT International Police Program has been exposing law enforcement officers from the U.S. to policing practices overseas. In return, law enforcement officers from overseas spend time with agencies here in this country. APD has hosted Polish officials, sharing geographic policing information and demonstrating how tourism policing works in the Entertainment District.
According to the LEMIT website, officer exchange opportunities also occur in China, Korea, Thailand, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Interim Chief Will Johnson said the exchange program reinforces the importance of international cooperation and prepares Arlington officers to be great leaders.
'With LEMIT as a partner, we're able to provide our officers with a world class education as well as professional development to inspire excellence in management and leadership,' Johnson said.
In 2009, APD Lt. Glenn Cole and former Lt. Wayne Isbell also studied in Poland.
By C. Carpenter
News, Police