WASHINGTON CO. SHERIFF’S OFFICE INVESTIGATOR TO ATTEND FBI TRAINING

  

A Washington County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Investigator has been invited to attend one of the most prestigious training programs in the country.

Washington County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Investigator Mark Whidden, a 12 year veteran, is the first employee in Sheriff’s office history to have been selected to attend the 267th session of the F.B.I. National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. The selection process is tedious and extremely competitive among several thousand law enforcement officers each year.  Each session last 10 weeks and Sergeant Whidden is scheduled to begin on January 9, 2017 and graduate on March 17th.

Sergeant Whidden has served the citizens of Washington County as a Jailer, Deputy Sheriff, Patrol Sergeant, Firearms and Self Defense Instructor, and is currently an Investigator in the Criminal Investigation Division.  According to Sheriff Otto Hanak, Sergeant Whidden has demonstrated the desire, dedication, strength and ability in his current position to fulfill the requirements of this prestigious selection.

The F.B.I. National Academy is a once in a lifetime leadership/educational experience for less than 1% of all law enforcement officers worldwide.  Outstanding law enforcement professionals are nominated and then selected to attend the National Academy after a vigorous vetting process.  The training, networking, and personal growth is unparalleled by any other advanced law enforcement agency or course in the world.  The instructors are world class and make current policy, not just teach it.  This program instructs law enforcement professionals on advanced communication, leadership and fitness training.  Additionally, it serves to improve the administration of justice in law enforcement agencies and to raise law enforcement standards, knowledge and cooperation worldwide.

The National Academy’s mission is to support, promote, and enhance the personal and professional development of law enforcement leaders by preparing them for complex, dynamic, and contemporary challenges through innovative techniques, facilitating excellence in education and research, and forging partnerships throughout the world.

The training for the National Academy is paid for by the F.B.I. and provided by the F.B.I. Academy instructional staff, Special Agents, and other staff members holding advanced degrees, many of whom are recognized internationally in their fields of expertise.