Associate Magazine - FBINAA - Q4 - 2022

Continued from "The Historian's Spotlight", on page 29

ing in the Broward Sheriff's Office as an Acting Captain in charge of the Criminal Investigation Division as well as the Capital Crimes Unit. I was its first attendee and was so proud to do so. Since there were parallels to our assignments, we spoke about those as well as the differences in the laws, their applica tion, and unique circumstances affecting our responsibilities. She was contemporary, kind and knowledgeable. I can recall a unique

something, or if you had a question for him, you were to write it on a 3x5 card and give it to him or leave it at his office. He would answer it promptly. At the firing range, a 2x4 wooden board was used for "cover" and to brace upon when firing a gun. Some of the foreign students, trying to understand the U. S. language and methods, associated those two things: in the U. S. "You talk with a 3x5, and you shoot with a 2x4."

set of circumstances that affected her responsibilities which were quite different from those in our 50 states. At certain times of the year, the aged prison and jail facilities experienced escapes from confine ment, lacking the modern electron ic and facility upgrades that were continuing improvements in the United States. Of particular concern was the number of male inmates who left on or around Mother's Day, wanting to go home to be with their moms. Since St. Croix is an island community, leaving it is unlikely and limited at best. Rather than calling out everyone who had police authority, they simply saw the voluntary return of the inmates afterwards or went to their mother's homes to collect the inmate and return them to confinement the next day. Their mothers were that important, even though some additional time could be added to the inmate’s sentences. Ann was interested in her vocation, her e arned place in the law enforcement community, and her peers. I am sure she had an impact on each of those she encountered during the 12 weeks. Ann was one of those people who, if you didn't see them for months or years, the conversation could be picked up almost immediately. We lost track of each other over the years as time, distance, and assignments changed. We in the 91st heard for weeks the inoperability of the elevators which did not function flawlessly, particularly to and from the highest floors. Much of that issue had been corrected, thank good ness, given the fact that I was on one of the highest floors.

In regard to the two female students, Vittoria Renzullo was a no nonsense New York City police captain and did not put up with anyone trying to take advantage. She and Ann Schrader, a very nice and personable sergeant from the Virgin Islands, roomed together. An officer from Beirut, Lebanon also attended the 91st session. During one of the holiday week ends, the officer from Beirut visited the two ladies with a bottle of wine, apparently with the intention of having a romantic affair with them, asserting that it was their "duty" to comply with his wishes. He apparently did not realize that things are different in the U. S. A. Captain Renzullo wasted no time in setting him straight in that regard. They forced him out of their room and let him know what they thought of him. The man was very distraught. He left the FBI Acad emy, went to an airport and flew back to Lebanon. Upon his arrival in Beirut, he was immediately arrested by his Lebanon police. Jim Cotter sometimes mentioned the incident when recounting what can go wrong at the academy and how strictly rules were to be enforced. Coincidentally, I now happen to be 91 years old and did attend the 91st Session, not that that has anything to do with anything. Arthur Schmidt Illinois/Wisconsin Chapters: Memories are always present with activities at the Academy. My roommate was Mike Sgobba, San Diego PD. After the first week, Mike and I established a bar

Arthur Schmidt

in our room. It started out as an after class happy hour for Mike and I that grew into a floor bar. After class we would have a half hour session before going down for supper. Classmates joined us and we all settled into the hallway for a libation session where we discussed department current events and problems. We tried to keep the sessions to one half hour and most of the time it was maintained. Supper followed up by individual class assignments was the routine. It was an experience I will never forget. The 91st class legacy was donating for two new flagpoles to be installed in front of the Administration Building for display of the National Academy flag and the FBI flag alongside the United States flag. I attended the 5th session of the FBI LEEDS session in 1993, and returned to the Academy in 1994 for a LEEDS re-trainer.

It had an impact on the balance of my organization career. I served as Broward County's first Undersheriff , an Undersheriff in St. Lucie County, and a Police Chief in three municipalities, one of which I conceptualized and started as the Port St. Lucie, Florida Police Department in 1980.I have been blessed as a result of what I have learned before, during and since attending the FBI National Academy, where continuous learning was a cornerstone of our burgeoning careers. I still provide promotional examina tions, Assessment Centers, and training in organizational devel opment and leadership concepts. Hank Henson Virginia Chapter: Funny story: Jim Cotter was a very personable gentleman. He had a particulr method of communicating with the students. He extensively used 3x5 index cards. If you wanted to tell him

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