Madison County Sheriff’s Office

Huntsville, Alabama

Blake L. Dorning – Sheriff

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – FBI National Academy Graduation

Sep 27, 2016

Sheriff Blake Dorning announces today that Lieutenant Donny Carl Shaw, a 23-year veteran of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, graduated from the 265th Session of the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, on Friday, September 16th.

The Academy began 1935. It was created in response to a 1930 study by the Wickersham Commission that recommended the standardization and professionalization of law enforcement departments across the U.S. through centralized training. With strong support from the International Association of Chiefs of Police and with the authority of Congress and the Department of Justice, the “FBI Police Training School” was born. Courses at that time included scientific aids in crime detection, preparation of reports, criminal investigation techniques, and administration and organization.

The 265th Session of the National Academy consisted of law enforcement officers from 48 states and 24 countries. The 230 graduates are leaders and managers of state, local, county, tribal, military, federal, and international law enforcement agencies. Participation is by invitation only, through a nomination process, and less than one half of one percent of law enforcement officers are selected for attendance. Participants are drawn from every U.S. state and territory and from international partner nations.

For 10 weeks students take undergraduate and/or graduate courses at the FBI campus in Quantico, Virginia. Classes are offered in the following areas: law, behavioral science, forensic science, understanding terrorism/terrorist mindsets, leadership, communication, and health/fitness. Course work is accredited by the University of Virginia. Officers participate in a wide range of leadership and specialized training, where they share ideas, techniques, and experiences with each other, creating lifelong partnerships that transcend state and national borders.

Shaw received his graduation certificate from FBI Director James Comey. He will now be a member of the FBI National Academy Associates, Inc., a dynamic organization of more than 16,000 law enforcement professionals who actively work to continue developing higher levels of competency, cooperation, and integrity across the law enforcement community.