Crime & Safety

West Deptford Lieutenant Becomes Latest in Line of FBI Program Grads

Lt. Samuel DiSimone graduated from the exclusive FBI National Academy in December.

Going through the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy has been something of a tradition for police officers in : current Chief Craig Mangano is a graduate, as are former chiefs Jim Mehaffey and J. Thomas Butts.

And last month, Lt. Samuel DiSimone became the latest in that line, after graduating from the rigorous program in Quantico, VA on Dec. 16.

DiSimone joined police professionals from around the country and the world–including another South Jersey officer, –in going through the program, which is offered at no cost to those who attend.

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The classroom sessions focused on things like leadership, ethics, decision-making and managerial skills–all valuable for high-ranking officers, DiSimone said—and also included a physical fitness portion.

One thing rang true for DiSimone, though.

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“It doesn’t matter if you’re working in West Deptford or Los Angeles,” he said. “Right now, everybody is going through the same problems.”

Mangano said the course is a great training ground, and gets officers thinking about solving problems that could occur in the future, and how to handle the responsibilities of rank.

“It is valuable training to prepare a law enforcement executive in going further with his or her career,” Mangano said.

Reflecting on his own experience from several years ago, Mangano said the networking side is just as valuable as the coursework itself.

“It's a great way to learn from one another,” Mangano said.

Just getting into the program, which began in 1935 and now boasts 45,000 graduates, is an accomplishment; DiSimone was among the one percent that make it through the application and interview process.

“It's a great school, and we want to keep our tradition going,” Mangano said.


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