ASSOCIATE Magazine FBINAA Q1-2025

NATIONAL ACADEMY UPDATE

FBINAA.ORG | Q1 2025

Jeffrey S. Katz

S ince its founding, the FBI National Academy and its alumni have transformed domestic policing. Known as the "West Point of Law Enforcement," the National Academy has produced graduates who lead with distinction, compassion, and a deep re spect for the noble duty of serving others. Our alumni define our success, and we are committed to keeping the Academy adaptive and relevant in a rapidly evolving world. Leadership in policing has never been more critical. Public scrutiny of law enforcement now rivals that of the 1960s; however, unlike that storied era, today’s discord is magnified by social media pundits, opportunistic public figures, and a media conglomerate—all competing for our attention in the multi billion-dollar influencer economy. Meanwhile, mental health struggles, substance abuse, and low birth rates have led to labor shortages, including in policing, teaching, and the military. Recruiting incentives, signing bonuses, and double-digit pay raises alone cannot sustain us. We cannot pay our way out of this problem. We must lead our way out! Some say our profession is in crisis, but we see a renais sance—a chance to introspect, evolve, and meet new challenges head-on. That kind of rally is in our DNA! Effective leadership, more than anything else, will drive this transformation. Effec tive leadership inspires, brings out our best, and maximizes our opportunity to succeed during difficult times. These are difficult times. With this recognition in mind, the FBI National Academy, a beacon of leadership development in policing has recently pivot ed its curriculum with specific offerings for aspiring chiefs, sher iffs, and public safety directors – and their executive staff officers – in new courses delivered as 10-week seminars. These courses, Seminar for Aspiring Chiefs, Sheriffs, and Directors, and Seminar for the Executive Staff Officer, provide philosophical foundations on essential topics such as the cultivation and maintenance of trust, the dynamics of human motivation, and building an engaged high-performance culture, and meld these lessons into practical leadership exercises born from real-world experiences. Accomplished agency heads facilitate these courses, bringing decades of real-world experience in various environments to our classrooms. National Academy participants of the current session have expressed great enthusiasm for this new curriculum, and we are tripling its availability during our next session. Current students have indicated they feel more prepared for the application process and the expectations of becoming a new chief in the cur rent state of policing. The course will continue to evolve as these initial students take the lessons learned and apply them to their specific experiences.

We owe a debt to our alumni in ensuring the National Acad emy experience remains the world's premier law enforcement leadership development program. Moreover, we are clear-eyed regarding our obligation to meet the evolving needs of those who have yet to walk the hallowed halls of this institution. We are excited to share this news with you and value your continued commitment and engagement with the FBI National Academy Associates. You are the reason we are successful. You are the reason we exist.

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