ARTESIA, New Mexico – The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) celebrated the 30th Anniversary of its Office of Artesia Operations in Artesia, New Mexico, today. FLETC Director Thomas J. Walters and other guest speakers provided remarks to the distinguished guests and members of the community during this event. Director Walters stated, "FLETC Artesia’s existence and success is due in large part to the visionaries, and patriots here in this room today." Staff from the New Mexico congressional delegation attended the event, as well as Chief of the New Mexico State Police.
On September 22, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed the Treasury, Postal Service and General Government Appropriations Act, House Resolution 4775, to grant the purchase, renovation, and adaptation of a former college campus in Artesia, New Mexico, as a facility of FLETC. The following year, FLETC-Artesia was officially established as a training delivery point. The original Dedication Ceremony was held on October 21, 1989.
FLETC-Artesia currently occupies more than 3,600 acres, and is FLETC’s largest training site by acreage and second largest by students trained. Student throughput has grown by more than 200% over the past 30 years, with FLETC now collaborating with agencies such as the U.S. Border Patrol, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration / Federal Air Marshal Service in providing basic and advanced law enforcement training in Artesia.
Director Walters spoke about how the Artesia training delivery point has great potential, and how he plans to leverage capacity to meet the emerging training needs of FLETC’s clients.
"Our facility at Artesia is not only an important part of the community of Artesia," explained Director Walters, "it is an important part of the FLETC of today, and an even more important part of the FLETC of tomorrow."
FLETC, a component of the Department of Homeland Security, was established in 1970 to provide basic and advanced law enforcement training to federal agencies. The FLETC enterprise comprises training delivery points located in Glynco, Georgia; Artesia, New Mexico; Cheltenham, Maryland; and Charleston, South Carolina.
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Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers
Protocol & Communications Office
Contact: 912-267-2447