09/04/03
This
Friday, on September 5th, 242 of the best and brightest U.S.
and international law enforcement officers will graduate as
the 214th class of the FBI National Academy. They've come
from all over--from 49 states and 25 different countries,
including Egypt, Gambia, Jordan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Rwanda,
Turkey, and Venezuela--and they represent sheriff departments,
police departments, military police, and federal agencies.
Their graduation culminates 11 weeks of tough academic classes
and physical training. They leave with college credits in
law, sciences, and communications--and they leave with a deepened
understanding of current issues, law enforcement trends, the
need for global partnerships against crime and terrorism...and
with the names of 241 colleagues in their palms to call when
help and advice is needed on a case.
But please
note: this is the 214th class of the National Academy. The
Academy has been around a long time--since 1935--and it has
trained over 36,000 law enforcement managers, nearly 2,500
of them from international agencies. That's a lot of standardized
learning, a lot of professional training. It's also a lot
of personal connections worldwide--a formidable international
network of officers with one thing on their minds: protecting
public safety...in your community...everywhere in the world.
One of
the class members puts it this way: "We are ready to
return to our agencies changed forever...our treasured friendships
and the lessons on leadership will not end with our graduation--this
is simply the beginning of our journey."
|