Keizer Police Lieutenant Graduates from the FBI National Academy
Lt. Andrew Copeland recently completed one of the toughest challenges available for local law enforcement officers: the FBI National Academy. In mid-March, Lt. Copeland and two other Oregon law enforcement officers completed a ten-week training session at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
There is a highly competitive process that local law enforcement officers must go through before being selected for this honor. That process includes a nomination by a supervisor; interviews of the candidate and co-workers to determine leadership skills and abilities; a background check; a determination of physical fitness; and the support of former National Academy graduates within the candidate’s organization.
“Only a few law enforcement officers from Oregon have the chance to attend the National Academy each year," said Loren Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “The exceptional leaders selected to participate have a great opportunity to share their experiences with peers and to learn best practices from officers from across the country and the world."
Lt. Copeland began his law enforcement career working for the Keizer Police Department in 2002. In his 15-years there, he has served as a use-of-force instructor, field training officer, SWAT team member, patrol sergeant and Criminal Investigations Unit sergeant. In 2013, Chief John Teague promoted him to lieutenant to oversee the Patrol Division. The Patrol Division includes the Patrol, K-9, Community Response, Reserve Officer and Cadet units as well as specialty programs such as SWAT, the Honor Guard, and the CRASH Team.
Remarking about Lt. Copeland’s accomplishment, Deputy Jeff Kuhns said, “Andrew is the fifth member of the Keizer Police Department to have attended the FBI National Academy, and he is the first since 2007 when Chief John Teague last represented our agency at the academy. We are appreciative of the good working partnership the Keizer Police Department has with the FBI and are especially thankful they continue to provide this leadership training to local law enforcement agencies such as ours. We are confident Andrew will implement many of the things he learned at the FBI Academy into his continuing leadership at the Keizer Police Department."
During the ten weeks of training, local executive-level law enforcement officers spend most of their time in the classroom. Lt. Copeland took two graduate-level classes -- “The Cyber Threat Landscape for Law Enforcement Executives" and “Contemporary Issues in Law Enforcement" -- as well as courses in stress management, employment law issues, and interpersonal communication. The program allows the participants the opportunity to earn college credits through the University of Virginia for some of those studies. In addition to the classroom work, participants have physical training courses and activities.
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.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
