Washington, DC - Ambassador William R. Brownfield, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), will travel to Chicago October 23-24 to meet with local law enforcement and justice sector actors. He will also conduct public outreach related to the global heroin crisis and address a gathering of the world’s largest membership organization of police executives.

On Friday, October 23, Assistant Secretary Brownfield will present to the Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department the Assistant Secretary’s Award for Outstanding Partnership in Criminal Justice Assistance in recognition of the Chicago Police Department’s important contributions to INL foreign law enforcement development programs. He will also sign a memorandum of understanding with the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender to facilitate future cooperation on training foreign legal officials to advance rule of law and equitable justice systems worldwide. The Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender serves people in the largest consolidated court system in the world and would be INL’s second partnership with a Public Defender’s Office. This event will be open to the press.

Assistant Secretary Brownfield will also participate in a panel discussion at the University of Chicago with Drug Enforcement Agency Acting Deputy Administrator Jack Riley and Office of National Drug Control Policy Deputy Director Mary Lou Leary. The event will focus on how illicit narcotics are affecting communities in the United States, and what the Federal Government is doing to address these issues at home and abroad. This is an open event, and members of the press are welcome.

On October 24, Ambassador Brownfield will attend the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference, and conduct meetings with various domestic and international law enforcement officials.