Instructor Robert Almonte
Deputy Chief (Ret), El Paso, Texas Police Department and former U.S. Marshal. Robert has 32 years of law enforcement experience with expertise in narcotics investigations and undercover work. He served as the United States Marshal for the Western District of Texas from 2010 to 2016.
He previously served 25 years with the El Paso, TX Police Department where he spent the majority of his career in narcotics investigations and retired as a Deputy Chief. 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.
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 Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition in 2003. He has provided training to thousands of law enforcement officers throughout the United States and Sweden. He has spent years conducting extensive research on the Mexican drug trade, and how they pray for protection from law enforcement. He is also the creator and producer of the DVD; “Patron Saints of the Mexican Drug Underworld”.
Tuesday afternoon : Patron Saints of the Mexican Underworld
Drug and human traffickers, gang members and other criminals 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 by criminals. Several significant arrests, including that of a cold case murder, as well as drug and money seizures throughout the country have been attributed to this course and are discussed during the presentation.
Wednesday Morning : Hotel and Motel Investigations
Hotels and motels are used for a variety of criminal activity, including; drug trafficking and human trafficking, as well as other criminal activity, including their use by the 911 Terrorists. This course will present an overview of how to select investigators, meet and sell to hotel/motel managers, presentation to hotel/motel staff, surveillance techniques, conducting knock and talks, as well as how to conduct room searches.