WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) new Justice Training Center (JTC) was inaugurated April 28, 1999, on the grounds of the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va. Attorney General Janet Reno and FBI Director Louis Freeh joined DEA employees, senators, congressmen and staff, as well as law enforcement officials for the JTC inauguration ceremony.

In May of 1991, a Justice Department study recommended development of the JTC. In 1997, DEA received US $29 million for construction of the center. DEA’s training of all of its basic agents will be conducted at the new academy, as will training of intelligence analysts, diversion investigators, chemists and international, state and local law enforcement officials. DEA is also planning an Academy for Drug Intelligence at the JTC.

According to DEA Administrator Thomas A. Constantine, “The new academy is a dream come true for all of us at DEA. Training is the cornerstone of our anti-drug efforts. Our training programs are designed to provide our agents and staff with the knowledge they need to fight the sophisticated drug mafias operating today. In addition, we are focusing on ethics and integrity to ensure that all new employees are equipped to tackle the ethical dilemmas they will face on the street.”

The state-of-the-art center houses a 250-bed, double-occupancy dormitory, an assortment of classrooms, offices, a cafeteria, and an international training room equipped for simultaneous translation. Adjacent to the new center a special structure provides clandestine laboratory training. Special purpose facilities (driver training course, firing range, gymnasium and auditorium) will continue to be shared by DEA and the FBI.

“This is really a best of two worlds situation for DEA,” said Constantine. “We will no longer have to work around the classroom space shortages we faced in recent years and we will continue to develop bonds with our fellow law enforcement professionals form the FBI through our shared special facilities. I know that I join with all of those who worked so hard to bring our vision of DEA training for the next millennium in looking forward to graduating the first Basic Agent class from the JTC in August of this year.”

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