Note: The FBI National Academy Associates, Inc. is a private nonprofit organization and is not a part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation or acting on behalf of the FBI.

Chapter President’s Message

Dear NA Colleagues:

This year has begun with our afterburners lit, our speed Mach 2, and our hair on fire.  Mike Adams and I spent a week in February at the Chapter Presidents’ Meeting in Quantico, where we were updated by Executive Director Steve Tidwell on association matters.  From my first experiences with the National Board back in 1996, the organization has grown from what was a essentially a social group to an international professional association with $2M/annual budget.  FBINAA now employs full-time staff to manage member services, finance and accounting, special projects, a retail outlet and produces a bi-monthly magazine.  Executive Director Steve Tidwell is a former Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI, and has been a godsend to the association for his management expertise and good old-fashioned common sense.   

There are several exciting projects forthcoming that we need to update.  First, the “iMIS” database system is now scheduled to go live in May.  Secretary-Treasurer Mike Adams worked with several other Secretary-Treasurers at Quantico over the last several years to bring about this new application which will take a drab and dysfunctional website and transform it into a dynamic and easy-to-use clearinghouse for everything relating to the NAA.  Not only will we have our own material included on the national website, you’ll be able to see what’s happening around us as well, and the site will include SECURED social networking capability, so you can “talk shop” securely and privately.  Another helpful project that has come to fruition is the new online storefront for all your NA gear needs.  Hosted by 5.11 Tactical, the new website leverages 5.11’s ability to manage retail logistics with their vast array of products.  Don’t forget, every state chapter receives a portion of the proceeds from that state’s NA sales, so please look for opportunities to support our organization.  Finally, the number of academic partnerships has continued to grow.  There are now 12 colleges and universities where members of our profession can apply their NA experience toward bachelor or graduate studies.  Three more are in the pipeline awaiting final approval, including the University of Phoenix.  These institutions offer fully-accredited on-line programs, and are a convenient and cost-effective way to achieve a degree.

As we all know, this has been a dangerous year for the law enforcement profession.  LODDs are up 20% this year over the same time last year, and the tragedies have caught the attention of those in Washington, D.C.  In March, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder issued an Officer Safety Initiative to all U.S. Attorneys in the nation.  The USAs have been directed to meet with every law enforcement agency head within their jurisdiction and assure the agencies are aware of programs available through RISS (www.riss.net) and the DOJ’s Bulletproof Vest Partnership (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bvpbasi).  The vast majority of agencies already participate in the BVP, and we will be working with the U.S. Attorneys and ROCIC to implement the RISS resources statewide.  If you already have a ROCIC membership (most of you do,) I would strongly encourage you to check out the Officer Safety Website and refer it to your personnel.  It is chock full of informative and helpful information intended to help keep our people alive.  Adding additional ROCIC accounts to your agency membership is as easy as filling out a form and forwarding to your agency representative (call me if you need to know who that might be!)

Not only does officer safety begin at the BLET academy, it depends on us to keep preaching the message for the next 30 years.  In the immortal words of Sgt. Phil Esterhaus, “Let’s be careful out there.”  Young’uns, ask any cop over 40 with gray hair, they’ll tell you who Phil was.

Finally, a few words about a stellar Summer Professional Development Seminar that we have scheduled at Shell Island.  Captain Marshall Williamson and Chief Deputy Rhonda Smith have been plotting, scheming, threatening and cajoling to put together another summer meeting that you will be proud to attend, and Major Bryan Gilliard has assembled a training program that features our own U.S. Marshal Bill Stafford (Adam Walsh Act,)  Lt. George Koder of Clearwater PD (Human Trafficking,) Pam Pope (C/J Training & Standards Issues,)  and Dr. John Warren (Psychological First Aid for LEOs.)  On Tuesday, USAF Col. Jenni Hesterman (Ret.) will present a day-long block on “Leading Different Generations,” and will stay over as our Banquet Speaker.  Col. Hesterman is a senior analyst for The MASY Group, a Global Intelligence and Risk Management firm that supports both the U.S. Government and leading corporations.  She is also the Vice President of Academic Research and Development for the 5th Generation Warfare Educational Institute. Her presentation topic comes highly recommended by the FBI, and she appears courtesy of Tim Hardiman and American Military University.  Capt. Williamson also has around 30 Corporate Partners lined up to attend, so if you’re fortunate enough to get a budget next fiscal year, come prepared to do some shopping.   Please make you reservations now, as rooms will go quickly. 

I look forward to seeing you in a few weeks.  Please watch the website for updates on our Summer Seminar, and news from RISS/ROCIC as they spin-up Attorney General Holder’s Officer Safety Initiatives.  Take care, and above all, stay safe.

Sincerely,

Ben D. Bailey, Jr.
N.C. Chapter President