Associate Magazine - FBINAA - Q4 - 2022

W hile putting together the article about the 90th Session, the first to be fully conducted in Quantico, Bill Carbone, 3rd Vice President, passed along the obituary for Vittoria Ren zullo, one of the first two women to attend the Academy. She and Ann Schrader, Department of Public Safety-St. Croix, Virgin Islands, attended Session 91, the second Session held in Quan tico. It seems appropriate to include memories from that session since it also ushered in a new era where women were accepted into the National Academy. First, from Renzullo’s obituary: Vittoria Renzullo, age 89, of Yonkers died Friday, May 13, 2022. She was born June 26, 1932 in Bronx, NY to Italian immi grant parents who came to New York in the early 1920s in search of a better life. She attended St. Martin of Tours Elementary School, Roosevelt High School and then Hunter College where she earned her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Sociology. She is on the Wall of Fame at Hunter for being one of their ac complished graduates. Victoria also studied criminology and police science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Vittoria was fluent in English, Italian and Spanish and used these skills working for the Department of Social Services in NYC. In the mid 1950s she enrolled in the U.S. Army and spent time in Japan, where she mastered the Japanese language, and achieved the rank of Specialist 3rd class. Vittoria's father was a Carabiniere (state trooper) in Italy before coming to the U.S. Keeping the family tradition, she embarked upon what would ultimately be a successful and note worthy career as a member of New York's Finest. She won the Frank J. Keeler Award for Academic Excellence from the New York City Police Academy for the highest academic average. She was the first woman to attend the FBI Academy and was given the J. Edgar Hoover Award, once again for attaining the academic aver age. She was promoted to lieutenant and captain, and in 1976 became the first woman to command a precinct in the NYPD. She successfully ran the 1st, 17th and 48th Precincts, coming full circle back to her neighborhood roots in the Bronx. More 50 year Memories: the 91st Session Cindy Reed THE HISTORIAN'S SPOTLIGHT

Retiring with a rank of Deputy Inspector, Vittoria left the NYPD in 1983 to pursue Law and Medicine. She was accepted at Georgetown University but stayed local to be near her aging par ents. Vittoria passed her bar exam in NY with such a high score that she had her choice of wavier of the bar exam in Washington DC. Her rigorous medical career included working in the AIDS clinic at St. Claire's Hospital and finally as a bilingual psychiatrist at St. Barnabas Hospital until her retirement in 2012. A lover of animals, a true patriot and veteran, a champion for all underprivileged, Vittoria devoted her life to being a devout Catholic and has been a role model for the family and all who knew her. She was a very humble and never sought accolade for all that she accomplished. When asked about her illustrious careers, Victoria always responded that she considered herself a police officer at heart. Historian’s note: I had a long conversation with Vittoria’s niece Gloria Holmstrom. Gloria said that Vittoria and Ann stayed in touch until Ann’s untimely death. The entire family was proud of Vittoria’s accomplishments and her service was well attended. Information on Ann Schrader was more difficult to obtain but thanks to the work by Jason Marsh, Session 271 of the Virgin Islands Police, your historian was provided with the following information: Ann Schrader began her career in 1961. After four years in the department, she was promoted to the rank of Detec tive Grade III, then to Grade II one year later and finally Detective Grade I on February 19, 1968 which was a supervisory position. On September 15, 1972, just before she left for the National Academy, she was the first female to be promoted to the Chief Investigator position. After graduation, Ann Schrader returned to the Virgin Islands but sadly died of cancer on April 27, 1975, only 5 years after graduation. She was survived by her two children, Lew T. Muckle and Yvonne Christian. There is also one granddaughter, Angeline Jabbar. Because of her importance in the agency and community, a command station was named after her and a schol arship is awarded each year in her name. She left an amazing legacy for her granddaughter that continues 50 years later.

Comments from the 91st session-mates:

Ken Graham Sr. Kentucky Chapter: I was in the 91st Session as a Lieutenant from the for mer Jefferson County Police Department now Louisville, Ky, Metro. The two ladies you mentioned were very courteous and professional police officers. What I know with my 50 year older

(L-R) Vittoria Renzullo, U.S. Attorney General Richard Kleindienst, and Ann M. Schrader.

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