Chief Bratton Travels to Jordan for Meeting with King Abdullah II

Trip Includes Crucial Summit Meetings in Washington, D.C.

Los Angeles: Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Chief William Bratton left today for a trip to Amman, Jordan, where he will meet with His Majesty King Abdullah II to discuss various topics, including law enforcement, security, counter-terrorism, criminal intelligence and community policing tactics and philosophies.  Meetings have also been planned with the Jordanian National Police and General Intelligence Division to discuss international issues affecting both Jordan and Los Angeles.  Deputy Chief and Commanding Officer Michael P. Downing of the Department’s Counter-Terrorism and Criminal Intelligence Bureau will accompany Chief Bratton on the trip.

A few days later, on Jan. 26, Chief Bratton will return to the U.S. for two important law enforcement executive conferences in Washington, D.C.  The first, sponsored by Major Cities Chiefs Association, will be a two-day assembly of law enforcement executives to include the Major County Sheriffs’ Association. It will focus on legislative issues affecting police departments nationwide.  Key U.S. Congress members may also attend the event.

The second meeting, on Jan. 28, will be the Police Executive Research Forum’s 2009 Summit on the Economic Crisis and Police.  The forum is an effort to get a national perspective on how the economic downturn is affecting nationwide policing.  Participants will discuss and share economic challenges that potentially threaten their ability to provide first-rate law enforcement services.  They will also exchange views on ways to mitigate budget cuts and produce credible information about these challenges that they can disseminate to the incoming U.S. Congress, the Obama administration and other decision-makers.  Conference attendees will also focus on exploring ways to ensure that cutbacks in police department budgets will not undermine significant accomplishments that police agencies have made in recent years.

Chief Bratton is looking forward to meeting with King Abdullah II and attending the meetings. “These are unique opportunities to learn and exchange information that can truly play a critical role in assisting the LAPD and all U.S. police departments in maintaining the highest law enforcement standards and growing our accomplishments during this tough economic period,” he said.