ASSOCIATE Magazine FBINAA Q2-2025

John Simmons THE HISTORIAN'S SPOTLIGHT Historically Speaking...

I found myself recently thinking back to when I was a relatively new Chief of Police. I truly valued the sage counsel of my much more senior peers, many of whom were graduates of our beloved National Academy. They all encouraged me to apply. It wasn’t my first time seeking a coveted spot. Back in my Army days I applied through military channels but was not able to get a spot. However, time has a way of making good things happen and I was blessed to be allowed to attend the NA Session 215 in 2003. Each of us likely traveled a different path that led up to walk ing into the famed FBI Academy building at Quantico. Some wait ed much longer than others while some were somehow blessed with a shorter time between applying to attend and actually at tending. I recently had the opportunity to visit with someone who knew he wanted to attend the NA and set about making it happen. Charles King , NA Session 95, set three goals very early (1965) in his law enforcement career: attend the police academy, earn a bachelor’s degree, and attend the FBI National Academy. His greatest obstacle to achieving all three goals was the simple fact he was a citizen of Liberia (on the continent of Africa). Charles knew international law enforcement officials had been allowed to attend the NA since the early 1960s. So, in 1969, Charles wrote to Director Hoover and shared his three goals. Director Hoover wrote a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare ask ing that he provide Charles a catalog of U.S.-based law enforce ment academies. One of the U.S. universities offering a law enforcement curriculum was the University of New Haven, Conn., which he chose to attend in 1970. During that time he learned that Director Hoover sent a special message to the Liberian National Police. He asked about Charles attending the NA. The Liberian National Po lice said they had three other people they wanted to send. Charles said that Director Hoover politely told them he would accept King or nobody else from Liberia. Charles got the slot to attend the NA Session 95 in 1973. Charles found the curriculum and high professional stan dards to his liking. In fact, the high degree of knowledge, courage and integrity he experienced at Quantico remained with him throughout his career. Charles eventually returned to Liberia where he served in a number of senior level positions in law enforcement and state security. His reputation as a stickler for the rules was not well received in, according to his words, a “cor rupt” system. Charles was called a “James Bond man” for being too strict and professional. Director Hoover certainly would have been proud! Charles eventually served as the Assistant Director of Police for Administration. Unlike some of his senior peers he had a back ground in law enforcement, having graduated from the National Police Academy. While this shielded him from some politically motivated backlash he ended up resigning after one year in the position. “Too much corruption,” says Charles. He moved on to a Police Chief position and had only been in the job for several months before the President of Liberia called Charles’ Mayor and asked that Charles return to the capital. Charles became the Deputy Director General of their Government Services Administra tion, the Deputy Commissioner of Police for CID Affairs and then

the Assistant Director for Administration overseeing the presiden tial security details. Charles’ final position in Liberia was as the Deputy Director of Training at their National Police Academy. The Civil War and resulting coup caused Charles to flee the country in 1980 with the clothes on his back and his family in tow. They fled to several African nations before ending up in the United States, where he sought and was granted political asylum. He did private security work in New York, owned a secu rity school and wrote a book, “A Roadmap to Your Destination.” He currently lives in Weston, Va., and works with the Virginia Employment Commission, is a motivational speaker and coaches youth in both the United States and Africa. He also works hard to seek out other NA graduates in Africa and encourage them to remain active in the Association. Charles later wrote to me and said, “I am who I am today because of the honest and professional trainers at our Liberian Police Academy and the FBI National Academy, and the honest men and women I was privileged to lead wherever I worked. I owe whatever success I have made to them – for believing in me and assisting me to weed out corruption and bring about profes sionalism to the various organizations.” A remarkable story and life, indeed! Speaking of remarkable stories and lives, it was brought to my attention that one of our graduates had a city street named after him! My predecessor, Cindy Reed, featured James Morgan Jr., NA Session 133, in her Historian’s Spotlight back in 2020. James was a real trailblazer in the Leon County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office. He was the third African American hired by the Sheriff’s Office, and the first African American to hold the ranks of detective, captain, jail administrator, major, and the first African American from his agency to attend the FBI National Academy. Late last year the City of Tallahassee renamed a street to Major James Morgan Jr. Way. This action required the support of the City Commission and changes to existing ordinances. James continues to blaze a trail, even in his passing.

54 FBINAA.ORG | Q2 2025