Jan 7 4:46 PM

NYPD's overseas presence criticized by federal officials

by The Stream Team @ajamstream

A member of the New York City Police Department counterterrorism unit

Spencer Platt/Getty Images.

Federal officials criticized the New York City Police Department's program placing detectives in counterterrorism roles overseas on Tuesday, saying it has wasted police resources and failed to provide actionable intelligence. The International Liaisons Program (ILP) was instituted by former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly after 9/11, establishing a presence in 11 foreign cities with the objective of getting counterterrorism information directly from NYPD personnel.

Speaking to the site DNAinfo, federal law enforcement officers who served in foreign cities where the NYPD stationed detectives said that the program frequently disrupted and angered foreign law enforcement.

View the story "NYPD's overseas presence criticized by federal officials" on StorifyNYPD's overseas presence criticized by federal officialsNYPD program to place detectives overseas is wasteful and disruptive, federal officials say.Storified by AJAMStream· Tue, Jan 07 2014 13:45:49NycpolicefoundationAfter a 2005 resort bombing in Bali, federal officials say that the Indonesian National Police were "astonished and irritated that the NYPD showed up” from their station in Singapore, disrupting the bombing investigation in its immediate aftermath.

In many of the NYPD's regular international posts, their detectives are prevented from fulfilling their mandate to combat terrorism alongside their foreign counterparts, either from lack of required security clearance or lack of good relations with the necessary foreign intelligence agencies.

Ray Kelly has admitted that the ILP has not produced any tips about potential attacks in New York City, but has said that it plays a role in other areas such as extradition. The program's website states it helps the department learn from responses to attacks overseas.

In the passage below, the ILP describes how the proximity of NYPD detectives to the Mumbai attacks in 2008 led to policy adjustments in the department:

Within minutes: The NYPD changed deployment around New York train stations and enhanced presence at soft targets. Within days: A new strategy was developed to simultaneously handle multiple attacks. Within a week: The NYPD alerted its network of private security contacts and gathered valuable records, including floor plans and architectural information as part of a new initiative to protect hotels and other soft targets. Within weeks: Special Operations adopted new procedures, developed drills and exercises, and updated citywide training for multiple attacks. Today: The NYPD continues to conduct emergency response drills based on lessons learned in Mumbai.nycpolicefoundation.orgThe ILP's cost and funding source have been the subject of criticism since its inception. The NYPD only pays officer salaries, while all other costs are covered by the nonprofit New York City Police Foundation. The additional costs run at about $100,000 per year per detective, which amounts to $1.2 million annually. The lack of taxpayer dollars spent on the ILP's day-to-day functioning means little is known about its programs besides the expenditures reported by the foundation. The NYPD's new commissioner Bill Bratton expressed openness to continuing the International Liaison's Program, but has not formally announced a decision on the matter. What do you think about the NYPD's overseas detective program? Leave a comment below.

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NYPD's overseas presence criticized by federal officials

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