San Bernardino Police Department hosts Shanghai Police Academy students

On January 22, a group of 17 police academy students from Shanghai, China visited the San Bernardino Police Department (SBPD) to study and compare methodologies used by various law enforcement agencies in several aspects of law enforcement in the United States.

The last time a delegation of Chinese police academy students from Shanghai came to visit SBPD was on December 2, 2015. It was when Police Chief Jarrod Burguan completed his presentation to the students that the shooting at Inland Regional Center (IRC) began. All of the police department’s resources were focused on the IRC, canceling the remainder of the Chinese students’ visit.

However, the group of students found themselves sheltering in place, unable to leave the station. Students watched activities unfold at IRC on television, while police personnel explained what was happening at the scene from an “Incident Command System.” This enabled the Chinese police students to see and understand that a well-organized event was taking place, whereas an untrained eye would see chaos and disorganization.

The current students were made aware of the IRC shooting from the 2015 class, and applauded and cheered when they learned that their host was the one that they had seen on television and heard of – Lt. Mike Madden, who was the first to respond to the IRC shooting.

During this visit, students asked Chief Burguan several questions about his role in the police department, and how he deals with the community. Chief Burguan responded with several motivational and inspiring statements, such as “having a good relationship with the community is important”; “communicate well to help diffuse volatile situations is an important skill”; and “if you communicate trust, it makes your job easier.”

Chinese Professor Lt. Jing Da Zhu of the Shanghai Police Academy presented Chief Burguan with a gift plaque in appreciation for the exchange of information and professional courtesies.

Homicide Detective Sergeant Emil delivered a presentation on the operations of the Homicide Division, and on how investigations are conducted.

Chinese Academy Students were given a tour of the building, visiting the various units (Records, Property Room, Forensics, Emergency Operations Center, Detective Bureau, etc.). The students were shown how the police vehicles were equipped with radios, computer/MDC’s, lights, and sirens, including department motorcycles. SWAT officers showed them the types of weapons they use.

Probably one of the biggest treats for the Shanghai delegation was the authentic Mexican lunch of tacos and enchiladas, which is not readily available in China.

The Chinese Academy student group was organized by Cal State San Bernardino. The SBPD was just one of the police agencies they visited during their two-week tour in the United States. These students were selected from 1,000 other students who applied for the U.S. tour.