Nassau County Sheriff graduates from FBI National Academy

Nassau County Sheriff’s Office
Press Release
Submitted by Bill Leeper, Sheriff
(904) 225-0331
June 15, 2015 6:05 p.m.

Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper recently completed one of the toughest challenges available for local law enforcement officers: the FBI National Academy. On June 12, 2015, Sheriff Leeper completed the 10-week training session at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

The 260th session of the National Academy consisted of men and women from 47 states. Included in the class of 218 law enforcement executives were members from the District of Columbia, 20 international countries, five military organizations, and three federal civilian organizations.

“I found the most valuable pieces of the FBI’s National Academy program are the networking opportunities and the chance to learn how agencies across the nation deal with very similar issues,” said Sheriff Leeper. “I came home with a tremendous list of resources now available to the sheriff’s office specifically and to our community as a whole.”

Appointment of candidates to the FBI National Academy is a selective process. Less than 1 percent of the nation’s law enforcement officials are selected to attend the program.

During the academy, Leeper also participated in two voluntary physical challenges in which he ran a 6.1-mile obstacle trail built and utilized by the U.S. Marine Corps and swam 34 miles (which is the distance between the academy and FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.). Leeper was awarded the coveted “Yellow Brick” and “Blue Brick” for successfully completing both challenges.

During the 10 weeks of training, local executive-level law enforcement officers spend most of their time in the classroom. They have the opportunity to take classes in criminal law, police management, behavioral science, forensic science, and law enforcement communications. The program allows the participants the opportunity to earn up to 18 credit hours of college credits (undergraduate or graduate) through the University of Virginia. In addition to the classroom work, they have physical training courses, attend enrichment seminars and other organized activities. This class also had the opportunity to visit New York City and Philadelphia Police Headquarters to see first-hand how they operate in order to keep their communities safe.

Each year, the FBI sponsors four sessions of the National Academy. Each session includes about 220 local law enforcement officers from around the United States as well as from around the world. While in the Academy, the officers and deputies live in a dorm-like setting. The FBI does not charge U.S. students for tuition, books, equipment, meals, lodging, or travel to and from their home.