Washington, DC - Monday, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Daniel L. Foote signed a partnership agreement with Commissioner Richard W. Sanders, the head of the Kentucky State Police (KSP), to enhance the Department of State’s police assistance to international law enforcement agencies.

Under this partnership – one of 25 that INL has established with U.S. state and local law enforcement departments – the KSP will assist in helping U.S. partner nations in the fight against crime. KSP’s expertise in police operations and investigations, including illegal drug trafficking and organized crime, and their nationally accredited forensic laboratories will provide tremendous value to international counterparts facing criminal threats. These impressive capabilities are a representative sample of a broad skill set that INL hopes to tap into to advance criminal justice assistance and the fight against organized crime abroad.

INL establishes partnerships with U.S. state and local law enforcement, corrections, justice sector, and ports institutions to provide criminal justice expertise to international counterparts. KSP is INL’s 25th police partner and is one of six state police agencies to join the partnership program. Through this partnership, KSP will help foreign counterparts build capacity, improve efficiencies, and deliver effective criminal justice functions while also developing key relationships overseas.