From June 21 to June 26, 2026, three representatives from the Department of Police Law at the State Police College visited France. During the visit, they toured the French National Police Academy, the National Shooting Center of the French National Police, the "RAID" special operations unit, the Prince's Carabinieri Company base in Monaco, as well as various local police stations.
The purpose of the visit was to participate in an international training course focused on providing specialized personal protection and to acquire insights into the shooting instruction methods utilized by the French police and special operations units. The international practical experience gained will be applied to enhance the training processes for State Police officers.
During the visit, the State Police College firearms instructors familiarized themselves with the selection criteria and the training requirements and processes for firearms instructors within French law enforcement agencies. Additionally, the Latvian instructors attended theoretical sessions, gaining an overview of their French colleagues' shooting instruction methods and drills, while the practical sessions served to strengthen their skills in utilizing various firearms.
Subsequently, from June 29 to July 3, 2026, an additional five representatives from the State Police College visited the European Security Academy in Poland to attend a high-level specialized personal protection training course titled "Vehicle Close Quarter Battle (V.C.Q.B)". Through various simulated scenarios, participants acquired knowledge and skills regarding finding and utilizing safe cover behind vehicles, firing from vehicles in various positions, and tactical movement for groups of different sizes in urban environments, buildings, stairwells, and other settings. The delegation also assessed the availability and capabilities of the material and technical resources offered by the European Security Academy.
The visits of the State Police College representatives to France and Poland were organized within the framework of the European Union Internal Security Fund project No. VP/IDF/2024/5, titled "Strengthening the Response Mobility and Counter-Terrorism Capabilities of the State Police by Establishing a Practical Training Center."
The project is being implemented under the 2021–2027 programming period of the EU Internal Security Fund, with the Ministry of the Interior serving as the Managing Authority in Latvia. The total funding for the project amounts to 10,598,882 euros, comprising 7,949,162 euros from the EU Internal Security Fund and 2,649,720 euros from the state budget. The implementation period runs from April 1, 2024, to December 31, 2029.
