CANBERRA, ACT, May 17 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release:

Editor's Note: Imagery and footage from the opening day of the course is available via Hightail

Australia has taken a landmark step in supporting international peace and security through the launch of the world's first UN Police Peacekeeping Training course tailored specifically for the Pacific region.

The five-week program, hosted by the AFP, has started this week at the state-of-the-art Pacific Policing Development and Coordination Hub in Pinkenba, Brisbane.

Developed in partnership with the United Nations, the course brings together 100 police officers from across the Pacific and Timor-Leste and marks the beginning of a bold vision to build a deplo...