PW_3_2024

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IPA Friendship Weekend Lisbon, Portugal: Thursday 25th - Sunday 28th April Lorna Corbin , and Hannah Wheeler The idea for the second IPA Friendship Weekend abroad began in Region 9, when Alex Williams, Brendon Mulrooney, Babatunde Adeyeye, Martin Turner and Lorna Humphrey set up a planning group. L orna said: The itinerary was planned with CPD in mind and event input from Lisbon IPA branch. We reserved accommodation at the IPA house, created and shared the advert with members, and were The bus then took us on a scenic coastal drive to the picturesque town of Sintra. This UNESCO World Heritage Site captivates visitors with its wealth of opulent palaces, set amidst lush forests and jagged hills, including whimsical Palácio da Pena, the ruins of the Moorish castle. Saturday was dedicated to group sightseeing in Lisbon, including a

pleased the event was proving popular. After arriving in Lisbon and checking in to our accommodation on the Thursday, we started Friday by exchanging gifts with our hosts IPA Lisbon, in particular VP Francisco Ferreira, who had organised a police municipal bus and driver, to take us to the Specialist Operations Group training centre In Lisbon. The Corpo de Intervencao, covered a range of specialisms but our particular host was from national riot policing. The building was beautiful with the traditional yellow colour and blue and white tiles. The Special Operations Group laid on a great visit, with the English speaker doing a very informative presentation. We got to see the gym and demonstrations of the type of training they do, a showcase of the typical weaponry and vehicles, concluding with lunch in the canteen hall with wine included.

traditional tram ride, St George’s castle and the coast side square of Praça do Comércio. IPA Lisbon organised a lovely group dinner at a prestigious restaurant, everyone enjoyed the company and cuisine. Sunday was departure day, with some of the group going to a flea market and a stroll around the city centre before heading for home on return flights. The whole group enjoyed the experience, with a 2025 trip to be planned due to the success. We had attendance from several new IPA members, including Michael Tennyson , who said: “As a brand-new member to the IPA (London North – Region 9) I could not recommend joining the IPA more. There are excellent opportunities to meet like-minded people with keen interests in policing and travel. It was great to see that different people, including police officers of different ranks, staff, and other law enforcement agencies from across the country, had come together for this trip.

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POLICE WORLD Vol 69 No.3, 2024