During this time of social distancing, guest speakers may not physically be standing in a classroom of students, but with the technology offered through video conferencing, Dio Ayala, SWCC criminal justice instructor, is featuring speakers from across the nation. Today's guest speaker for Ayala's patrol procedures course was Jill Lees, the chief of police for the Indiana University Police Department.
Lees, who is originally from Hammond, Indiana, recently returned from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. According to its website, the FBI National Academy is "a professional course of study for U.S. and international law enforcement managers nominated by their agency heads because of demonstrated leadership qualities." Lees completed this 10-week program from Jan. 6-March 13.
During her time with the SWCC class, Lees spoke about the selection process for the academy, as well as what it was like to train at the academy. She said she was able to select classes in a format similar to how students select college classes. Classes at the academy are offered in law, behavioral science, forensic science, understanding terrorism, leadership, communication, and health/fitness. She also spoke about contacts she met during the training and how diverse the group was and how everything she learned will assist her in her career.
Lees summarized her experience by saying, "It was the best 10 weeks of my career and my life."
Ayala said he feels it's extremely important to have speakers such as Lees talk to his classes.
"Inviting speakers in from across the nation offers great opportunities for students to gain valuable information and hear real-world examples," stated Ayala. "This helps give them contacts in the law enforcement field as well, which could be extremely beneficial to them in the future."
Ayala said upcoming speakers include a Connecticut state trooper and a Georgia officer among others.
Southwestern Community College offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in criminal justice. To learn more about SWCC's criminal justice program, please visit the college's Criminal Justice web page.