I’ve worked as a journalist a long time and realized years ago it’s a big deal when a local police officer goes to the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, for 10 weeks of training.
I couldn’t have told you exactly how they were trained there until I interviewed Springfield Capt. Eric Reece last week — just as I’m sure most officers generally don’t know the details, for example, of how Pulitzer Prizes are awarded.
But in both cases, I believe, the public recognizes the accomplishments.
Reece, 47, was one of 234 law enforcement officers, mostly in supervisory roles, from around the world, including men and women from London, Peru, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Morocco, Denmark and The Maldives, a nation of islands in the Indian Ocean.
They lived in a high-rise dormitory at FBI headquarters, which is in the middle of a Marine Base, some 36 miles from Washington, D.C.
Each attendee had a roommate of the same gender and the experience, in general, was like that of a focused, conscientious college student.
Reece’s roommate was Capt. Bret Miller, with the police department in Covington, Louisiana.
Learning in class and learning from peers
The program is different than most, Reece said, because of its length.
Over 11 weeks, he said, you cannot help but learn not only from classroom studies, but also during off-hours discussions with peers. (The training typically is 10 weeks but this session was 11 weeks due to the Thanksgiving holiday.)
“I wanted to know what their challenges are,” Reece said. “It gives you a chance to compare the Springfield police department to how other people are policing across the country. I wanted to learn what we do well here in Springfield. What can I bring back? What can we do better?”
Reece has given a debriefing to Chief Paul Williams.
Williams and Major Tad Peters are the other two graduates of the FBI National Academy currently working for the Springfield Police Department.
Two departments quickly send out drones upon reports of shots fired
Reece suggested some new ways drones can help.
Reece learned two police departments in the nation — Chula Vista, California and Coral Gables, Florida — immediately dispatch drones when receiving reports of shots fired.
Whatever information the drones gather is immediately relayed to the officers en route.
In addition, some departments have drones equipped with thermal imaging, which can be used to find escaped prisoners or children lost in the woods.
The Springfield Police Department does well in community engagement, Reece says.
For example, the department has designated police area representatives who work closely with community organizations and neighborhood associations.
Oftentimes, Reece said, on the local level, the No. 1 concern might be a driver who regularly runs a stop sign or who speeds through streets where many children live.
Williams’ efforts to host “Coffee with the Chief” is an example of community engagement.
Springfield police have community support
Recruiting officers to work in Springfield is not as difficult as in some cities. That’s because of strong police support from the community, Reece said.
“In Springfield, people are always trying to pay for our lunch. We say no, no no.”
It became clear to him at the national academy that is not the case everywhere for officers.
“They have to go to lunch in groups and sit with their backs against the wall because they don’t feel safe,” he said.
Reece and other attendees had to take six classes, one of which was mandatory: physical training.
“We had a world class physical trainer who gave us a second chance to get back in shape,” Reece said.
The average age for those who attended was 41.
Before he was accepted, Reece had to prove he was in good enough shape to get in even better shape. He had to run a mile in under 10 minutes and the FBI sent an agent from Kansas City to witness and time.
Reece chose the tiny 16-laps-to-the-mile track at Chesterfield Family Center, 2511 W. Republic Road, where he often runs. He ran an 8:30, which was no surprise to him because of his training.
The five classes he selected were:
National security
“What threats are we facing as a nation. Everything involving China and Russia. Internal and external. A lot of this was on cyber attacks. The battleground now is in cyber warfare.”
Emerging technology
“Expanding our drone use.”
Effective writing
“Writing to the community. To the bosses. Use active voice, not passive. Most of the stuff you write as an officer is for a jury. I did this. Then I did that. You get into command and you have to do research. The chief might give you an assignment.
“Just getting better at expressing what I want to say. Write better press releases. Write better internal documents. At command level, we do a lot of writing. I am a keyboard warrior.”
Contemporary issues in law enforcement
“You are assigned to a team and your team has to debate a topic. It could be Antifa, Black Lives Matter, recruiting. The idea is to prompt classroom debate.
“One officer was from Portland, Oregon. She spoke about the presence of members of Antifa (short for anti-fascist) at public demonstrations and protests and their clashes with members of the Proud Boys in Portland.
“She talked about what they (Portland police) did right and what they did wrong,” Reece said.
Contemporary issues in police and media
“What the media needs from us. Even when we can’t talk to you because it’s under investigation. What can we say?
“We talked about how to hold a press conference on camera. When I worked overnights on patrol, I used to do a lot of on-camera interviews at 3 a.m. But that has gone away. No media are working graveyard shifts anymore.”
Meals during the training were in the dormitory cafeteria, Reece says.
At night, after homework, some of the attendees would gather in the dormitory to watch TV or shoot pool. TV viewing often included sporting events — such as baseball, football and the World Cup.
“I’d go to class eight hours; go to dinner; and type for one to two hours.”
On Saturdays and Sundays, he’d typically do homework until noon.
Weekend trips: Gettysburg, 911 Memorial
Then, he and others would go on loosely organized local trips.
He went to the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania and to the 911 Memorial in New York City — both for the first time. He witnessed police training exercises in New York City and Philadelphia.
The training at the academy cost the city little, he says, other than the cost of his salary. Most of the rest was borne by the FBI.
Reece drove to Virginia and the city paid his airfare when he returned home briefly for Thanksgiving. He is married with three children.
Now, he says, he is part of a worldwide network of law enforcement officers who were trained at the national academy. He is hopeful those contacts will open doors and speed communications in investigations to come.
This is Pokin Around column No. 86.
