Risk Management in Undercover Operations
Dr. Robert Diemer
Law enforcement professionals inherently take risks. This course is designed to study the risks in all types of operations and develop a strategy to accomplish the mission but minimize danger. The most successful operations are guided by experienced agents who have learned from previous mistakes. Within each operation, there are many functions that must coordinate with each other to assure a successful operation. Things may go wrong during an operation, but how wrong depends on a number of factors, including planning, preparation and execution. During this course, students are provided with the tools to plan, prepare and execute operations while minimizing risk to the undercover officer, the investigative team, and the support personnel who may need to react.
Objectives
•
Identify the common risks that are inherent to undercover officers.
•Discuss the need for planning to reduce agent risk.
•Identify the risks within each operational phase and function.
•Identify the risks associated with informants, buy-bust operations, street purchases and surveillance operations.
•Identify the risk potential of different deal locations.
•Identify the risks that are associated with stress and undercover operations
Dr. Robert Diemer
Dr. Diemer is the Director of Graduate Studies in Criminal Justice at Saint Leo University, Saint Leo, Florida
Dr. Diemer retired as a career law enforcement officer with over 27 years of varied investigative experience. He has extensive knowledge in the area of undercover operations and an expertise in drug enforcement investigations. Dr. Diemer has served as a Deputy Sheriff, State Coordinator for the Florida Sheriff's Association Statewide Task Force, and Chief of Investigations for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Law Enforcement.
Dr. Diemer holds an Associate in Arts and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice, a Master of Education Degree, and a Doctorate Degree in Criminology and Social Psychology.
DEA Compartment Class
DEA Special Agent Angel Calderon
This class is designed to show:
Currency Concealment methods in Furniture
Currency Concealment methods in Residences
Case studies on large money seizures in residences compartments
Concealment methods in Commercial establishments such as convenience (Grocery Stores)
Unusual Methods of currency concealment such as can safes, speakers
International concealment techniques encountered by local officers
This class will also give an introduction to the DEA- Headquarters – Financial Operations - Trap Initiative program and how DEA can assist local officers in recognizing, collecting and documenting vital intelligence, during a currency seizure which may have been overlooked. The class will also cover the latest trends and intelligence on Money laundering Organization.
Angel Calderon
DEA Special Agent Angel Calderon (Retired), founder of CALTRAPS has been involved in narcotic investigations for over 30 years. Throughout his law enforcement career Special Agent Angel Calderon has been involved in every facet of narcotic investigations including over 700 investigations as an undercover operative.
Over the past 15 years, Mr. Calderon was involved in a special operation focused on targeting hidden compartments in vehicles, residences and the individuals manufacturing them. He was the initiator and Team leader of Operation “Trap Door”. Operation “Trap Door” has become one of DEA’s international initiatives. He has been recognized as an expert by Law Enforcement agencies throughout the country, who continually call him for assistance. Mr. Calderon continues to travel throughout the country lecturing on concealment techniques utilized by drug and money laundering organizations. He is internationally recognized and has presented in Colombia, Mexico, Canada and Central America. He has been tasked and continues to brief Foreign Law Enforcement Officials and Dignitaries. Mr. Calderon is a native Spanish speaker and has conducted training at the DEA Academy for Spanish speaking officers. In 2010, CALTRAPS has expanded the Comprehensive Bulk Currency Concealment Course to Costa Rica , Guatemala and Mexico.
He is often called upon to assist investigators and prosecutors as an expert witness to testify and/or to search a vehicle or residence. These searches have led to seizures that often have been missed in the initial search. Mr. Calderon has been qualified as an expert witness, and has testified in Federal District courts and State court. Over the last 15 years, Mr. Calderon has co-authored five publications on concealment for DEA. These publications which are law enforcement sensitive are used by police agencies throughout the country. The latest being a manual showcasing hidden compartment utilized to transport currency. In addition Mr. Calderon has written over 20 law enforcement intelligence bulletins. Many of these articles have been translated into four foreign languages, and shared with our counterparts. Today, many Drug Commanders throughout the country continue to consult Mr. Calderon on his expertise, training and advice on concealment matters.
Mr. Calderon has received over 10 meritorious awards for his contribution in the field of Law Enforcement. He has received the Drug Enforcement Administration’s “Administrators Award” the agencies highest award. He received this award for his outstanding contribution on concealment programs and for the success of “Operation Trap Door.
As president and founder of CALTRAPS and Associates, Mr. Calderon is dedicated to the advancement of individual law enforcement officer in the field of concealment through advanced training.
Clandestine Laboratory Overview
Sergeant James Keys, West Monroe Police Department
This course will provide law enforcement officers with the knowledge to recognize and survive a clandestine lab encounter.
Objectives
•Define clandestine laboratories.
•Identify the drugs that are manufactured in clandestine laboratories.
•Describe the hazards, prevalent methods and trends in methamphetamine production.
•Identify first responder actions.
James Keys
Sgt. Keys entered into law enforcement as a Police Officer for the Houston, Texas, Police Dept. in March 1976. In 1982 he joined the West Monroe, LA, Police Dept., assigned to undercover narcotics, the uniform division and the Metro Narcotics Unit where he was second in command. In October 2000, Sgt. Keys was reassigned to the Detective Division to supervise the Street Crimes Unit.
His specialties include outlaw motorcycle gang investigations, clandestine lab investigations, clan lab site safety, civil asset forfeitures, drug identification, tactical entries for high risk search warrants, patrol interdiction, and talking hands. He is SWAT Team Commander for the SWAT team, and is also a H&K MP-5 submachine gun, Glock tactical handgun, and Ballistic Shield instructor. Sgt. Keys has instructed at conferences and seminars throughout the United States. He is recognized as an expert in the field of Narcotics Law Enforcement training. He is a charter member, and past State President of the Louisiana Narcotics Officers Association.
Patron Saints of the Mexican Underworld
U.S. Marshal Robert Almonte, Western District of Texas
The presentation by U.S. Marshal Robert Almonte will include information and cases on the use of prayer in traditional or recognized religions to facilitate drug trafficking and other crimes. Often, drug and human traffickers involve the spiritual world in their trade for protection from law enforcement. This intensive course will include information on various legitimate and illegitimate saints and icons used almost exclusively by the Mexican drug dealer. Some “saints”, or spirits, that drug traffickers and others use to protect themselves from law enforcement include Jesus Malverde – “Patron Saint of Drug Traffickers”, Juan Soldado - “Patron Saint of Illegal Aliens”, Santa Muerte, and San Simon among others.
Marshal Almonte has visited shrines erected in homage to these “drug saints” and will display photos, show video, as well as exhibit paraphernalia drug traffickers and other criminals may have had in their possession. The significance of the presence of “drug saints”, spirits, images, icons, statues, etc., may often be overlooked by law enforcement. His course serves to educate, enhance knowledge and alert law enforcement.
Robert Almonte
Robert Almonte was sworn in as the United States Marshal for the Western District of Texas on June 2, 2010. The District spans over 94,000 square miles to include its San Antonio Headquarters and offices in El Paso, Austin, Del Rio, Midland, Alpine, Pecos, and Waco. The District currently employs 175 Deputy Marshals and 54 administrative staff.
As a lifelong El Pasoan with nearly 25 years of service in the El Paso Police Department, Marshal Almonte spent the majority of his career in narcotics investigations and retired as Deputy Chief of the Department in 2003. As the Narcotics Commander with the EPPD, he championed innovative programs like the Hotel/Motel Narcotics Interdiction Unit and the West Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Stash House Task Force, both of which yielded successful apprehensions through community-policing initiatives. The West Texas HIDTA Stash House Task Force earned the prestigious Task Force 2000 White House Office of the National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) award for “Outstanding HIDTA Interdiction Unit”.
Robert Almonte has received numerous awards, including the 1999 White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) award for National “Outstanding HIDTA Task Force Commander”, as well as a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition in 2003.
Marshal Almonte is one of the foremost authorities on the investigation of narcotics cases and has spent much time and research on how Mexican drug traffickers subscribe to a unique “spiritual world” they believe aides them in their trafficking efforts and protects them from law enforcement. He has traveled extensively throughout the United States training law enforcement officers on narcotics investigations.
Throughout his career, Marshal Almonte has collaborated with his colleagues across the nation on narcotics issues, holding leadership positions such as the Executive director of the Texas Narcotic Officers’ Association, where he once served three terms as President for the association and as Vice-President for the National Narcotic Officers’ Association Coalition. He is the author of two published books: “The Evolution of Narcotics Investigations” and “Managing Covert Operations”. He is also a certified instructor through the Texas Commission of Law Enforcement Officers Standards and Education.
He attended El Paso Community College and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Park University.
Border Violence
Agent Leo Perez, Texas Department of Public Safety, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism
The class will focus on the history and organization of cartels, violence in Mexico and spillover into the United States, and current trends and threats facing law enforcement.
Leo Pena
Agent Leo Pena has been a commissioned Officer with the Texas Department of Public Safety for 25 years. In 1982, Agent Pena received a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from the University of Texas in Austin. Agent Pena attended the Texas Department of Public Safety Training Academy in 1986 where he received his commission and was assigned to the Traffic Law Enforcement Division as a Highway Patrol Trooper. In 1995 Sgt. Pena promoted into the Narcotics Service where Agent Pena worked as an undercover officer. Presently, Agent Pena is assigned to Intelligence and Counter Terrorism Division. While working with the Narcotics Service, Agent Pena worked several undercover cases that allowed Agent Pena to become familiar the inner workings, the culture, and the slang of the drug community. Agent Pena has trained DPS personnel in undercover operations, debriefing and the use of informants. Agent Pena has debriefed numerous gang and cartel members that have provided information pertaining to drug trafficking within Texas and the United States. Agent Pena has provided expert testimony in court cases pertaining to drug violence and the pagan worship of drug traffickers and continues to present current intelligence to State, Local, County, and Federal Officers in Texas as well as the United States.
Indoor Marijuana Grow Operations
Commander Edward Williams, Georgia Governor’s Task Force/Drug Suppression
This topic will provide the investigator with a familiarization of marijuana cultivation trends, the signs that indicate the presence of an indoor grow operation and an overview of investigative techniques.
Edward Williams
Edward Williams is currently serving with the Georgia State Patrol as Commander of the Georgia Governor's Task Force/Drug Suppression in Atlanta, Georgia.
Mr. Williams began his public safety career in 1979. He worked as a firefighter and police officer for Albany, Georgia until 1987 when he began his career with the Georgia State Patrol. He has served as a Post Commander, Executive Security Aide at the Governor's mansion and as Assistant Aviation Director.
Mr. Williams has a Bachelor's degree in Organizational Leadership from LaGrange College, in LaGrange, Georgia and a Master's degree in Public Administration from Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia. He is a certified Georgia Police Officer Standards and Training instructor, private pilot, and Emergency Medical Technician.
Undercover Officer Rescue
Officer Steve Claggett, Dallas Police Department (retired)
The primary goal of the Undercover Officer Fundamentals is to establish the proper mindset and standard protocols and options for undercover rescue scenarios. The course will present tactical solutions to the wide range of variables consistent with hostage rescue missions to include operational planning, vehicles and structure rescues, and training considerations. This course will also familiarize students with the proper planning, set-up and execution of hasty and deliberate vehicle assaults used for hostage rescue scenarios, narcotic buy bust operations and fugitive apprehension situations.
Steve Claggett
Steve is a 25 year veteran of the Dallas Police Department with 6 years in Narcotics and 15 years in SWAT. His duties ranged to Entry Team leader with specialties in Climbing Team and Explosive Breach Team. After retiring Steve became a full time instructor for Triple Canopy, Inc. and Combat Shooting and Tactics as Director of Training. He founded Tactical Skills and Strategies, LLC (Tac Skills) before accepting a Director of Training position for Fulcrum Tactical Training and Support, a Chicago based law enforcement charity, whose mission is providing affordable tier 1 tactical training.
Narcotic Search Warrants
Officer Erik Termeulen, Houston Police Department
This class will teach the students to identify hazards associated with the execution of search and arrest warrants. Students will discuss the purpose of port and cover on windows, the importance of using a flashbang, they will be able to identify equipment needed for the safe execution of an arrest or search warrant and they will be able to identify a safe route and approach to the objective prior to executing the arrest or search warrant.
Erik Termeulen
Erik Termeulen is employed as an officer with the Houston Police Department Narcotics Division Training Unit. In 1990, Erik started his police career with the University of Texas Police Department. In 1992, Erik joined the Houston Police Department and was assigned to the Central Patrol Division and worked the night shift. Erik was also assigned to the HPD SWAT Perimeter Team.
In 1999, Eric transferred to the Houston Police Department SWAT team as a full time member. While assigned to the Houston SWAT team, Erik was afforded the opportunity to attend numerous tactical schools and attain instructor proficiency. Erik has taught at numerous SWAT schools and has provided tactical training to local, state and federal tactical teams.
In 2008, Erik transferred to the Houston Police Department Criminal Intelligence Division and worked with modern cellular phone technologies. Erik assisted federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in finding the locations of potential and wanted felons.
In 2009, Erik transferred to Houston Police Narcotics Division Training Unit. Erik currently provides tactical and firearms training to officers assigned to narcotics division as well other divisions of the Special Investigations Command. In his current assignment, Erik also supports squads in the execution of narcotics search and arrest warrant, buy bust operations, and any other narcotics related investigations. Erik is also a part time instructor for Safariland Training Group where Erik has taught Search Warrant Execution for Team Leaders and Supervisors.
Satellite Tracking
DEA Special Agent Jeff Atkinson and DEA Intelligence Research Specialist Osvaldo Goytia
The information on the Drug Gang violence is based on EPIC Tactical Operation intellgence assessment techniques and will include a review of EPIC special operations programs and satellite tracking capabilities.
Agent Safety
DEA Special Jack Schumacher (retired)
This is a slide and video presentation designed to stimulate class discussion of said subject material. The course objective is to motivate the student to develop and maintain a functional and practical mindset relative to drug enforcement operations. Subject material contains: police videos and photos of actual enforcement scenes, the facts and details are explained, and this is followed by candid class discussions. No second guessing of what was done at the time; rather, learning from past experiences and developing options to future situations based on real life events. Survival mindset is a predisposed mental attitude developed to a functional (simple) and practical (can do) level PRIOR to the agent/criminal conflict. This theme is reinforced to the class and clearly demonstrated via the subject matter.
Jack H. Schumacher
Jack H. Schumacher began his law enforcement career in 1973 as a patrol deputy sheriff in Lake Charles, Louisiana and then worked as a Houston Police Officer from 1977 to 1987. In 1987 he became an agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and retired in December of 2008. In 1975 Mr. Schumacher received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Mc Neese State University and in 1986 received his Master of Arts degree in Police Science and administration from Sam Houston State University. In 1983 he received his TCLEOSE instructor’s license and has since taught drug related subjects with substantial emphasis on agent safety and survival issues. Mr. Schumacher is a certified Department of Justice Instructor and has presented classes to the DEA, Texas DPS, and numerous law enforcement agencies and associations throughout Texas and the U.S. Since 1985, Mr. Schumacher has researched numerous incidences of agent/criminal conflicts and presently continues said research as a lifelong, devoted student.
Complex Conspiracy
Tanya Pierce, DEA Dallas Division Counsel
This class will cover the challenges of a complex conspiracy investigation. Techniques and tactics to consider will be taught. The laws of conspiracy and other useful drug-related statues will be reviewed as well as trial preparation.
Tanya K. Pierce
Tanya Pierce is the Division Counsel for the Dallas Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, a position she has held since January 2009. Prior to this position, Ms. Pierce served from January 2007 to January 2009 as the Chief of Staff to the DEA Administrator at DEA Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Ms. Pierce came to DEA from the Northern District of Texas where she was an Assistant United States Attorney for over 18 years and the District’s Senior Litigation Counsel since 1999. As a federal prosecutor she tried a variety of cases to include drug, firearm, money laundering, tax, child pornography, civil rights, homicide and capital murder cases.
After graduating from North Texas State University in Denton, Texas with a degree in Political Science and receiving her law degree from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, Ms. Pierce began her career as a law clerk with the 7th Judicial District Court of Appeals. She was then hired as an Assistant Criminal District Attorney for the Lubbock County District Attorney’s Office. She served as the Chief Felony Prosecutor specializing in murder and capital murder prosecution.
Ms. Pierce regularly teaches at the Department of Justice National Advocacy Center in the areas Criminal Trial Advocacy, Narcotics Law, Criminal Federal Practice, Homicide and Capital Crimes prosecution. She also served from 2003 to 2009 on the Attorney General’s Death Penalty Review committee.
Workable Approach to Search and Seizure
Judge Jack Ryan
This presentation will focus on the historical background and judicial interpretation of the Fourth Amendment, reasons which justify warrantless searches and seizures, and the preparation and execution of search warrants.
Objectives
•Understand the reasons why the Fourth Amendment was created.
•Understand that the Fourth Amendment was intended to require warrants.
•Understand the reasons for exceptions to the “warrant” rule.
•Understand the legal requirements for warrants.
•Understand the legal requirements for warrantless intrusions.
Jack Ryan – MCTFT Instructor
Judge Ryan is currently sitting as an assigned judge in Riverside County, California.
Jack Ryan served as a Deputy District Attorney in the Orange County District Attorney’s Office from June 1970 to January 1981. He prosecuted a wide range of cases including murders, sex crimes, narcotics, political corruption, and major frauds. One of the narcotic cases was a large drug conspiracy known as the “Brotherhood of Eternal Love.” The Brotherhood, whose titular head was Timothy Leary, created, manufactured and distributed “Orange Sunshine LSD during the early 1970s. The B.E.L. also smuggled hashish from Afghanistan and distributed it and LSD throughout the entire country.
Judge Ryan has presided at over 540 criminal jury trials, including 13 death penalty cases. He has been actively serving as a judge since 1981.
Judge Ryan has a Juris Doctorate Degree (1970) and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Law (1969), from the University of Southern California. He also earned an Associate of Arts Degree from Orange Coast College in 1967. He is certified as an instructor by California Peace Officer Standards and Training. He has been teaching Search and Seizure and related courses for the Drug Enforcement Association, and various state associations which include: California, Arizona Oklahoma, and Texas. He began lecturing for the D.E.A., in 1973, and has taught for the Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force for about ten years.
Will to Survive
Special Agent Victor Cortez
Special Agent Cortez will be speaking on the danger that DEA Agents faced while operating in Mexico in the mid 1980s when the drug activities and corruption there soared to unprecedented levels and how the DEA Agents became the hunted by Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs). Special Agent Cortez will share his personal experiences and the events that led to his kidnapping and torture in 1986, at the hands of violent Mexican State Judicial Police Officer working in conjunction with notorious DTOs in Mexico. Special Agent Cortez’ personal experience and the events that led to his kidnapping and torture parallels SA Camarena's case history. Special Agent Cortez will briefly touch on the will to survive and methods that worked for him to lessen the torture pain.
Victor Cortez
Mr. Victor Cortez was born in 1952, in Brownsville, Texas. He attended public school and graduated in 1971. That same year he entered the U.S. Army. While in the Army he served in Viet Nam where he was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, 58th Infantry and 17th Infantry Divisions. Upon his release from the U.S. Army in 1974, the City of Brownsville employed him as a Police Officer. While a Police Officer, he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Pan American University. In 1978, Mr. Cortez enrolled with the U.S. Border Patrol and was assigned to the U.S. Border Patrol Station in Presidio, TX. In 1980, he left the Border Patrol and became a member of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Mr. Cortez has been assigned to the following DEA Offices: Tucson, AZ; Quantico, VA (Training); San Antonio, TX; The Joint Interagency Task Force West; U.S. Southern Command; Guadalajara, Mexico; La Paz, Bolivia; Guayaquil, Ecuador. Mr. Cortez retired from the DEA as an Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) and is currently employed by DHS/CBP/Office of Internal Affairs as a Special Agent.
Special Agent Cortez is the recipient of several medals and commendations from the U.S. Army, International Narcotics Officer’s Association and the DEA. These medals include the Viet Nam Service Medal w/3 Bronze Service Stars, Viet Nam Campaign; Army Commendation; (INOA) Medal of Valor and the DEA’s Purple Heart.
Special Agent Cortez is married and has three children. He currently resides in Brownsville, Texas.
