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Photo Gallery: Community Outreach

On September 27, 2012, Acting Special Agent in Charge Juan Molina (right) and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Willie Session of the Norfolk FBI office honored Assistant Chief Sharon L. Chamberlin of Norfolk Police Department at her retirement ceremony for her partnership and work with the FBI.

On September 22, 2012, the FBI National Citizens Academy Alumni Association (FBINCAAA)—in coordination with the Denver FBI office—sponsored a community event at Denver’s Mile High Stadium to raise awareness about human trafficking. During the day, the FBINCAAA assembled more than 200 recovery kits to be given to victims of human trafficking and child prostitution, and multiple law enforcement agencies and nonprofit organizations represented at the event donated personal and clothing items to be included in the kits such as toothbrushes, soap, and socks. Youngsters had the opportunity to try on FBI SWAT gear and Denver Police Department bomb suits, and go inside an FBI armored vehicle (pictured above). They also took part in a mini-football camp. The rock band known as The Fray performed during the event.

On September 22, 2012, the FBI National Citizens Academy Alumni Association (FBINCAAA)—in coordination with the Denver FBI office—sponsored a community event at Denver’s Mile High Stadium to raise awareness about human trafficking. During the day, the FBINCAAA assembled more than 200 recovery kits to be given to victims of human trafficking and child prostitution, and multiple law enforcement agencies and nonprofit organizations represented at the event donated personal and clothing items to be included in the kits such as toothbrushes, soap, and socks. Youngsters had the opportunity to try on FBI SWAT gear (pictured above) and Denver Police Department bomb suits, and go inside an FBI armored vehicle. They also took part in a mini-football camp. The rock band known as The Fray performed during the event.

On September 22, 2012, the FBI National Citizens Academy Alumni Association (FBINCAAA)—in coordination with the Denver FBI office—sponsored a community event at Denver’s Mile High Stadium to raise awareness about human trafficking. During the day, the FBINCAAA assembled more than 200 recovery kits to be given to victims of human trafficking and child prostitution, and multiple law enforcement agencies and nonprofit organizations represented at the event donated personal and clothing items to be included in the kits such as toothbrushes, soap, and socks. Youngsters had the opportunity to try on FBI SWAT gear and Denver Police Department bomb suits, and go inside an FBI armored vehicle. They also took part in a mini-football camp (pictured above). The rock band known as The Fray performed during the event.

On June 14, 2012, State Street Corporation hosted the Boston Division Citizens’ Academy 2012 graduation, providing a delicious dinner and a beautiful view of the city of Boston. Special Agent in Charge Rick DesLauriers provided opening remarks and presented each graduate with their certificate.

In August 2012, the Detroit FBI Office took part in the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe’s 28th annual Pow Wow Festival held in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. More than 500 Native American and community residents attended the festival and met representatives from the Detroit office. Participants heard about community outreach programs and careers in the FBI, while some attendees (like the young lady pictured above) were also able to try on SWAT gear.

On August 19, 2012, the Charlotte FBI participated in a town hall meeting with the local Sikh community. Recent events involving a shooting at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin prompted the FBI in Charlotte to team with fellow law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to discuss hate crimes, religious profiling, Sikhs in the workplace, kirpan (ceremonial sword) misconceptions, and Sikh students being bullied in school. The Bureau hopes the event fostered new partnerships, increased understanding of Sikhism, and strengthened existing relationships.

On July 18, 2012, the FBI’s Philadelphia office—along with its Citizens Academy Alumni Association—hosted the 10th annual Youth Academy Program for 56 students on the campus of Girard College. Students participated in interactive presentations by members of the Philadelphia Police Canine Unit, FBI polygraphers, and FBI bomb techs. They also received an overview of defensive tactics (shown above), watched demonstrations by the Bureau’s Evidence Response Team and SWAT, and practiced the same exercises that new FBI recruits perform. The day ended with a concert from Road Radio USA, an alcohol and drug prevention program.

The Norfolk Field Office participated in a faith-based event where students learned about the mission and priorities of the FBI. Master Forensic Examiner AJ Ocampo from the Computer Analysis Response Team (CART) demonstrated the types of places where files can be hidden. Students learned how CART provides technical capabilities, service, and support to the FBI and to other law enforcement agencies.

The FBI’s San Francisco office participated in the San Francisco Giants’ “Family Safety Night” held at AT&T Park in July 2012. During the event, FBI volunteers distributed Child ID kits to parents and gave stickers to children. The Bureau—along with state and local law enforcement agencies—were recognized during the game for being committed to public safety and the community.

On June 27, 2012, members of the FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association (FBICAAA) were briefed on the topic of human trafficking and the need for increased reporting of this crime. The event was sponsored by the FBI’s Albuquerque office and the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office, who have partnered together to increase awareness about the issue. The Albuquerque FBICAAA was offered the presentation because it is the largest group of program ambassadors with ties to rural communities, businesses, and social services organizations.

On May 1, 2012, the FBI’s Las Vegas office held a graduation event for members of its ninth annual Citizens Academy. The ceremony was sponsored by the FBI Las Vegas Citizens Academy Alumni Association. The FBI Citizens Academy program, held in every field office, is open to business, civic, and religious leaders who live and work in the area covered by the sponsoring office. Participants generally meet around 10 times and learn about a variety of FBI-related topics, including jurisdiction, oversight, evidence collection, fingerprinting, other forensic services, and civil rights.

On April 3, 2012, representatives from the FBI’s Las Vegas office, the FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association (CAAA), and the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI toured the National Museum of Organized Crime & Law Enforcement, better known as “The Mob Museum.” The museum is located in downtown Las Vegas and opened its doors on February 14, 2012, the 83rd anniversary of the infamous St. Valentine’s Day massacre in Chicago. Former FBI Las Vegas Special Agent in Charge Ellen Knowlton is the president of the nonprofit organization, and Jonathan Ullman, executive director of the museum, is attending the Las Vegas Citizens Academy. Many of the exhibits are tied to former FBI investigations, and the museum has various high-tech theater presentations, artifacts, and interactive exhibits (like the one pictured above) presenting the battle between organized crime and law enforcement.

On April 17, 2012, members of the FBI Citizens Academy (CA) took part in the annual ‘Range Night’ sponsored by the FBI’s Las Vegas office. The evening, spent at the firing range, included firing weapons (under the watchful eye of the Bureau’s SWAT) along with hostage-taking scenarios. SWAT welcomed participants and canvassed for volunteers to serve as “hostages” (like the man shown above) as team members demonstrated what happens in hostage situations. CA participants said the experience was nerve-racking, even though they knew it wasn’t real!

On April 24, 2012, Norfolk FBI Community Outreach Specialist Vanessa Torres (right) participated in a National Crime Victims’ Rights Week observance held at the 2nd Precinct of the Norfolk Police Department. During the event, held to promote victims’ rights and honor crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf, Torres handed out materials on the Bureau’s Innocent Images Initiative and the Victim Assistance Program. In attendance were approximately 100 citizens and victims’ family members, along with Virginia State Senator Yvonne B. Miller (left) and Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Gregory D. Underwood (middle), who also took part in the event.

Earlier this year, the FBI’s San Diego office participated in the 32nd annual Martin Luther King, Jr., parade, which followed scenic Harbor Drive along the San Diego Bay. Bureau employees distributed activity books, FBI badge stickers, and other items to children standing along the parade route.

In May 2012, the FBI’s Norfolk office and its partners launched a five-month campaign called Aware.Prepare.Prevent (A.P.P.) featuring a series of seminars designed to educate the community on cyber security, national security, fraud, and parental awareness. All seminars are free and open to the public. Community members are encouraged to attend and learn ways to protect themselves, their children, families, and businesses from criminal threats. For information about the A.P.P. campaign please visit www.fbi.gov/norfolk, call 757-455-3161, or e-mail A.P.P.campaign@ic.fbi.gov.

On May 15, 2012, employees from the FBI’s Little Rock office helped young patients celebrate the Arkansas Children’s Hospital’s 100th year anniversary by playing games, finding and making fingerprints, and learning about the FBI’s SWAT and Bomb Squad (and even, in the case of the young man shown above, getting to try on some of the equipment).

On May 31, 2012, the FBI’s Denver office took part in the Special Olympics 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run Media Day. Throughout the month of May, law enforcement officers from around the state carried Flames of Hope across Colorado, and at the end of the month, the three flames were unified into a single torch on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol. After a public ceremony, members of local, state, and federal law enforcement, along with Special Olympics athletes, completed a run along the 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver. Participants included Denver Special Agent in Charge Jim Yacone (far right), Special Olympics athlete Kimberley (front), and several other Denver FBI employees.

On May 31, employees of the FBI’s Norfolk office celebrated Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month to pay tribute to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America’s history. Ron Villanueva (left), Virginia House of Delegates, spoke during the ceremony about the history of Asian-Pacific Heritage Month and his personal experiences growing up in the U.S. as a Filipino-American. Villanueva was the first Filipino-American elected to Virginia state government. Other guests included Nony Abrajano, Regional Chair of the National Federation of Filipino Associations of America, and Leo Bierneza (right), who performed special music. Said Norfolk Special Agent in Charge John Boles (middle), “Our lives are enhanced when we understand and appreciate many cultures.”

Recently, FBI New Haven Citizens Academy Alumni Association board member Jack Caldwell (shown above) delivered 200 FBI Child ID Kits to the Mercy Learning Center in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Since 1987, the Mercy Learning Center has been providing basic literacy and life skills training to low-income women in the greater Bridgeport area. The center’s programs focus on empowering and providing dignity, economic self-sufficiency, and hope to those who are less fortunate. Also shown here is a center volunteer helping a family fingerprint their children with the ID kit.

On April 19, 2012, Norfolk FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) Willie Session and Maerine Mitchell from the Up Center, Norfolk, spoke to students at the Hampton City School Performance Learning Center about conflict resolution, communication skills, and perception. Students heard about the resources and assistance available to them, free of charge, through the Up Center of Hampton Roads, a non-profit United Way Community Partner agency, formerly known as Child & Family Services of Eastern Virginia. ASAC Session spoke with the students about the importance of remaining crime-free and learning to recognize the need for mentoring. Shown above is a student with one of the hand-outs.

On April 25, 2012, members of the Charlotte FBI Citizens Academy were briefed on fingerprinting and other investigative techniques used at crime scenes by FBI agents from Charlotte’s Evidence Response team. The FBI Citizens Academy multi-week program gives business, religious, and community leaders an up-close and personal look at the mission and capabilities of the Bureau.

On April 17, 2012, members of FBI Explorer Post 2060 participated in a firearms training session at Fort Dix, New Jersey, where the youngsters learned firearms safety and had the opportunity to shoot on the firing range. More than 33,000 young adults participate nationwide in the Law Enforcement Exploring program, which helps young adults interested in a career path within law enforcement and challenges them to become responsible citizens. The program is provided by Learning for Life (LFL), a U.S. school and work-site based youth program and a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of America.

On April 28, 2012, the Norfolk FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association (CAAA), along with the FBI’s Norfolk office, hosted a Racial Healing workshop at the Chinese Community Center of Hampton Roads. The event was made possible through a grant received by the FBI’s National CAAA from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for a project known as “America Healing: A Racial Equity Initiative.” More than 75 community members attended the Norfolk event, which included a special presentation by comedian Seaton Smith, speeches from various community leaders, and a panel discussion. Shown above are panel members Fay Silverman, Community Relations Council’s Outreach Committee Chair, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater; Vernon Fareed, Resident Imam, Masjid William Salaam; and Marianne Smith Vargas, Chief Philanthropy Officer, Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia.

On April 28, 2012, the Norfolk FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association (CAAA), along with the FBI’s Norfolk office, hosted a Racial Healing workshop at the Chinese Community Center of Hampton Roads. The event was made possible through a grant received by the FBI’s National CAAA from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for a project known as “America Healing: A Racial Equity Initiative.” Through this grant project, the NCAAA and the FBI hope to foster racial relations among communities and individuals. More than 75 community members attended the Norfolk event, which included a special presentation by comedian Seaton Smith (above), speeches from various community leaders, and a panel discussion.

The Richmond FBI office, which maintains a partnership with the local Make-A-Wish Foundation, was recently called upon to help with a “Wish Kid’s” visit to an FBI office. While on a recent visit from New York to Virginia to fulfill his wish of skydiving, Whalen Polikoff and his family stopped by the Richmond FBI office for a visit. Whalen and his family met with Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Michael Morehart, members of Richmond’s SWAT, and an FBI polygrapher. Shown above is Whalen and his brother Max with SWAT members.

The Richmond FBI office, which maintains a partnership with the local Make-A-Wish Foundation, was recently called upon to help with a “Wish Kid’s” visit to an FBI office. While on a recent visit from New York to Virginia to fulfill his wish of skydiving, Whalen Polikoff and his family stopped by the Richmond FBI office for a visit. Whalen and his family met with Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Michael Morehart, members of Richmond’s SWAT, and an FBI polygrapher. Shown above is Whalen (second from right) and his family with SAC Morehart.

On March 17, 2012, the Seattle Sounders Football Club began displaying the FBI’s Child ID App promotion on large video boards and continues to display the promo at all games at CenturyLinkField. The Sounders will also honor the local law enforcement community when they host their first Law Enforcement Appreciation Night on March 31, 2012, as they take on the San Jose Earthquakes. The event will honor the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers and their families, and will help raise awareness and funds for the forthcoming National Law Enforcement Museum currently under construction in Washington, D.C. Representatives from the Seattle FBI and the Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association will be in attendance for pre-match fan activities, providing information on the FBI Child ID App, Child ID kits, and other resources.

On Saturday, March 10, 2012, dozens of FBI agents and Chicago Police Department officers hit the ice to raise money for Honor Flight Chicago (HFC). HFC is a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring Chicago area World War II veterans by flying them, all expenses paid, to Washington D.C. for a day to reflect at the National World War II Memorial. All proceeds from the Law Enforcement Hockey Classic were donated to HFC. There are an estimated 25,000 World War II veterans in the Chicago area. Since its founding in 2008, HFC has flown 2,983 veterans to Washington D.C.

On March 1, 2012, the FBI’s Norfolk office celebrated Black History Month with special guest Grant Williams, a documented original Tuskegee Airman who shared his experiences which began in the 1940s when African-Americans began flying for the U.S. military. “In spite of adversity and limited opportunities,” Williams told FBI employees, “African-Americans have played a significant role in U.S. military history over the past 300 years.” Tuskegee Airmen, according to Williams, refers to all who were involved in the so-called Tuskegee experiment, the Army Air Corps program to train African-Americans to fly and maintain combat aircraft. The Tuskegee Airmen included pilots, navigators, bombardiers, maintenance and support staff, instructors, and all the personnel who kept the planes in the air. After his presentation, Williams was presented with a certificate of appreciation by Norfolk Special Agent in Charge John Boles (right) and Special Agent Samuel Robinson (center).

It’s hard to compete for basketball fans’ attention when the Chicago Bulls are playing, but the FBI’s new Child ID app got its fair share of the spotlight during the team’s home game on February 18, 2012. Just before tipoff, the app for iPhone users was featured on the United Center’s jumbotron as the game announcer read a public service announcement about the ID program. And on the concourse (above), representatives of the Chicago FBI and Chicago Police Department’s Crimes Against Children Joint Task force demonstrated for the public how the app works on an iPad. FBI Special Agent Nikkole E. Robertson was joined by Chicago Police Officers Traci Walker, Khin Kung, Lisa Wallace, and Daniel Rodriguez for the community outreach event. In addition to answering questions about the Child ID app, the law enforcement officers handed out paper Child ID kits.

It’s hard to compete for basketball fans’ attention when the Chicago Bulls are playing, but the FBI’s new Child ID app got its fair share of the spotlight during the team’s home game on February 18, 2012. Just before tipoff, the app for iPhone users was featured on the United Center’s jumbotron (above) as the game announcer read a public service announcement about the ID program. And on the concourse, representatives of the Chicago FBI and Chicago Police Department’s Crimes Against Children Joint Task force demonstrated for the public how the app works on an iPad.

On February 13, 2012, the Norfolk FBI office gave 10 young men and women from the Virginia Beach Police Department’s Explorers’ Program an inside look at Norfolk’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team. The students, who were between the ages of 14 and 21 and are interested in serving in law enforcement, were briefed by SWAT agents who explained how they train for high-risk situations. The young people were also allowed to try on some authentic SWAT gear.

In January 2011, the FBI Las Vegas Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association sponsored a field trip for the fifth grade class of West Prep School as part of the Bureau’s Adopt-a-School Program. Although the trip to McCarran International Airport was planned months in advance, organizers did not know that President Barack Obama would be in town that day, so when the bus arrived at McCarran, the airport’s director Randall Walker told the students they would be able to see the president’s plane, Air Force One (above). In addition to getting a close-up glimpse of the plane and then touring the airfield, students also met Las Vegas city councilman Lawrence Weekly, airport deputy director Rosemary Vassiliadi, and the airport’s K-9 officers and their canine partners, who gave a bomb sniffing demonstration.

In January 2011, the FBI Las Vegas Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association sponsored a field trip for the fifth grade class of West Prep School as part of the Bureau’s Adopt-a-School Program. Although the trip to McCarran International Airport was planned months in advance, organizers did not know that President Barack Obama would be in town that day, so when the bus arrived at McCarran, the airport’s director Randall Walker (above) told the students they would be able to see the President’s plane, Air Force One. In addition to getting a close-up glimpse of the plane and then touring the airfield, students also met Las Vegas city councilman Lawrence Weekly, airport deputy director Rosemary Vassiliadi, and the airport’s K-9 officers and their canine partners, who gave a bomb sniffing demonstration.

The Chicago FBI office recently teamed up with the NFL’s Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Hanie (above) during a press conference to introduce the FBI’s mobile phone Child ID app to the Chicago area. Chicago Special Agent in Charge Robert Grant and Hanie explained how the app works and why it’s such an important tool if a child goes missing. Grant noted that the timing of the press conference just before the holiday season was intentional, as many people will be heading out to crowded locations like shopping malls and airports with their children. In recognition of Hanie’s support for the FBI’s National Child ID Program, he has received the Exceptional Service in the Public Interest award from FBI Director Robert Mueller.

The Las Vegas FBI office and the Las Vegas Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association has partnered with the Preparatory Institute, School for Academic Excellence at Charles I. West Hall for this year’s FBI Adopt-A-School Program. The FBI Junior Special Agents Academy was offered to 25 fifth graders who wrote essays explaining why they wanted to be Junior Special Agents. Weekly sessions included subjects such as: What is the FBI?; civil rights; gangs and drugs; victims’ rights; Internet safety and cyber crimes; careers in the FBI; evidence gathering; photography; and physical fitness. For homework, students are required to write thank-you notes listing two things they learned from each of the guest speakers.

Recently, presenters from the Albuquerque FBI office and representatives from our Innocent Images National Initiative (IINI) from Washington, D.C., took part in the Protecting New Mexico from Child Exploitation conference, hosted by the New Mexico 13th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the New Mexico Sheriffs’ and Police Association. Topics covered included human trafficking, social media, and the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory. IINI unit chief Scott McMillion (shown here) gave a presentation on his office’s initiative and discussed several case examples. The Bureau’s participation in the conference was coordinated by the Albuquerque FBI’s Public Affairs/Community Outreach Program.

On October 18, 2011, the San Francisco FBI office held its second semi-annual Teen Academy. Thirty-two students from throughout the Bay area gathered at the Silicon Valley Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory in Menlo Park, California for a full day of briefings and interactive presentations on such topics as counterterrorism, SWAT, and cyber crime.

Omaha FBI Public Affairs Specialist Sandra Breault and members of the Omaha FBI Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association recently staffed a booth at the annual LaVista health and Safety Fair, which was attended by more than 5,000 people throughout the day. The FBI booth handed out to participants more than 750 Child ID kits, as well as FBI activity books, bracelets, pens, and pencils.

On October 15, 2011, the Omaha FBI office held a Firearms Day for members of its current Citizens’ Academy class (shown above). One of the Academy students, owner and operator of a medical transport company, arrived at Firearms Day in his company helicopter.

The Norfolk FBI office recently held a Community Relations Executive Seminar Training (CREST) program for staff and students of the ITT Technical Institute (shown above) in Norfolk. The agenda included an overview of the field office by Norfolk Special Agent in Charge Alex Turner, along with presentations on counterintelligence, FBI community outreach efforts, recruiting, white-collar crime, cyber crime, gangs, and organized crime. CREST is a shorter, more focused version of the Bureau’s Citizens’ Academy program, conducted in partnership with a community group during which students learn about the mission, goals, history, and internal workings of the FBI.

The Cincinnati FBI office and the FBI Citizens’ Academy Foundation of Cincinnati recently hosted a briefing regarding safety and security at Great American Ballpark, home of the Cincinnati Reds major league baseball team. The event was attended by approximately 25 past graduates of the Citizens’ Academy. Kerry Rowland, director of public safety and security for the Reds, led the briefing, which included an overview of how his organization works with local, state, and federal agencies to protect players and fans attending the games. Participants also got a tour of the stadium, command center, clubhouses, training areas, and dugouts.

On September 15, 2011, the New Orleans FBI office took part in Scam Jam 2011, an anti-fraud seminar educating Louisiana residents—including senior citizens—on the various ways they could protect themselves from becoming victims of fraud. The Louisiana Chapter of the FBI Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association was the driving force behind this endeavor, which was sponsored by 24 federal, state, and local law enforcement, government, and regulatory agencies. The event, held at the Pontchartrain Center just outside New Orleans, was publicly endorsed ahead of time by New Orleans FBI Special Agent in Charge David Welker. His endorsement led to the involvement of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Louisiana, the Better Business Bureau of Southeast Louisiana, Crime Stoppers, Inc., and the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce.

Boston FBI Community Outreach Specialist Sue Durkin, along with retired FBI Special Agent Charlie Walsh, who established the first Evidence Response Team in the Boston office, recently demonstrated some fingerprint techniques and crime scene collection processes for seniors at Ipswich High School. Durkin and other personnel from the Boston FBI office visit the school twice a month to help instruct students on forensic science.

On September 8, 2011, the Las Vegas FBI office took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Las Vegas U.S. VETS, a non-profit organization that assists homeless military veterans in the Las Vegas area. The ceremony, held on the occasion of the organization’s 10th anniversary, dedicated a new housing complex for homeless vets called The Radcliff. FBI Las Vegas Community Outreach Specialist Holly James attended the event, which was hosted by Shalimar Cabrera (shown above), director of the Las Vegas U.S. VETS and a graduate of the 2011 FBI Citizens’ Academy. Also in attendance was Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman. Southern Nevada is home to more than 210,000 veterans, and approximately 2 percent of them are homeless.

More than 20 Citizens’ Academy graduates recently participated in the 2011 Southern Ohio Bomb Squad’s Introduction to Explosives and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) course. The session included an overview of IEDS and an introduction to homemade, military, and commercial explosives. Members of the FBI Citizens’ Academy Foundation were invited to attend the session in order to raise public awareness about potentially harmful explosive devices. A practical explosives demonstration (above) was also held to showcase the power contained in these devices. While the class was conducted primarily for Transportation Security Administration airport screeners from several airports in the region, law enforcement, security, and fire personnel were also invited to view devices they may encounter in their line of work.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephanie Douglas speaks with a baseball fan at the annual San Francisco Giants’ Family Safety and Law Enforcement Night. The FBI’s San Francisco office supported the event, along with local, state, and other federal law enforcement efforts in order to enhance awareness of personal safety and of similar law enforcement initiatives throughout the area.

In August, members of Brownie Troop 20365 visited the Knoxville FBI office, where they spent time conducting x-ray examinations of mock suspicious packages, touring the gun vault, trying on SWAT gear, and exploring a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, or MRAP, vehicle (shown above).

This past summer, youth from the Center for Teaching Entrepreneurship (CTE) visited the Milwaukee FBI office to learn about the Bureau. The CTE is an organization that empowers young people through a variety of personal growth activities and professional experiences. The group’s summer program, known as Camp Goals, enabled participants to meet Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Nancy McNamara and other agents and professional support personnel during their visit.

On August 2, 2011, FBI Norfolk personnel attended a National Night Out event at Lakeside Park in Chesapeake, Virginia, to help educate local communities and businesses in crime prevention, a goal of the Norfolk FBI’s community outreach program. Brochures about the FBI outreach program were distributed, along with coloring books and recruitment information. This particular National Night Out event was sponsored by the Chesapeake Police Department and the South Norfolk Neighborhood Watch. More than 500 people took part in the event, with featured live music, a movie, and refreshments, and about 250 people visited the FBI’s table to ask questions about the Bureau’s presence in the community and job opportunities.

The Albuquerque FBI office, through its community outreach program and in partnership with the New Mexico Anti-Defamation League, hosted a Southwest regional extremist/hate crimes training session on July 28, 2011. The training included discussions of extremist groups/individuals present in the Southwest U.S. (Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and West Texas). Attending the training were local law enforcement partners, public safety officials, and military personnel.

In July, the Charlotte FBI’s Evidence Response Team participated in the Central Piedmont Community College Forensic Kids Kamp featuring upcoming sixth through 12th graders. During the event, students took part in exercises that include techniques used in forensic laboratory and crime scene processing. Members of the Evidence Response Team demonstrated various crime scene investigation techniques, including laser trajectory, alternate light source, electro-static dust lifters, and students were able to practice developing and lifting fingerprints, along with casting and molding shoe impressions.

In July, the Norfolk FBI office held a Junior Special Agent Program at New Oak Grove Baptist Church, Virginia Beach. Approximately 15 students participated in the program, which focused on sharing, responsibility, and the characteristics of being a good citizen, and included an object lesson on serving the community of Virginia Beach by planting flowers (shown above) that were provided by the Norfolk Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association. The Junior Special Agent Program was part of a community outreach effort by New Oak Grove Baptist Church leaders, the Virginia Beach Public Schools, NASA, and other community volunteers. The outreach project also involved a summer reading academy to promote literacy among African-American males in the Virginia Beach area.

Recently, employees of the San Diego FBI office participated in the inaugural Finish Chelsea’s Run event in that city’s Balboa Park. The event honored the life of Chelsea King, a 17-year-old high school student from Poway, California, murdered while on a run in 2010. The FBI played a significant role in the investigation. Numerous Bureau employees ran in the recent event and other representatives from the field office staffed a special booth and handed out child ID kits and information about online safety for children.

Recently, employees of the San Diego FBI office participated in the inaugural Finish Chelsea’s Run event in that city’s Balboa Park. The event honored the life of Chelsea King, a 17-year-old high school student from Poway, California, murdered while on a run in 2010. The FBI played a significant role in the investigation. Numerous Bureau employees ran in the recent event and other representatives from the field office staffed a special booth and handed out child ID kits and information about online safety for children.

Recently, the San Diego office participated in the Law Enforcement Torch Run benefiting the Special Olympics. On May 31, 2011, San Diego Special Agent in Charge Keith Slotter joined other law enforcement representatives for the torch-lighting ceremony, and then joined other San Diego FBI office employees for a run along Mission Bay. The next day, employees from San Diego’s North County resident agency took part in the run in Carlsbad. Shown above is the torch-lighting ceremony, with one of the Special Olympic athletes at the podium.

Recently, the San Diego office—partnering with the Jacobs Center, the San Diego Police Department, and the San Diego County Office of Education—hosted a public safety community town hall in Spanish. The event included presentations on fraud and identify theft, gangs, child online safety, and crimes against children. Free child ID kits and informational brochures in both English and Spanish were handed out.

The Portland FBI office recently kicked off its second annual Multi-Cultural Youth Leadership Academy, which will run for five weeks this summer. The purpose of the academy is to develop young leaders and expose them to diverse cultures and to law enforcement. More than 35 high school students are attending the program, which focuses on everything from communicating across cultures and team-building to law enforcement awareness and leadership. It’s sponsored by the Portland FBI’s Multi-Cultural Advisory Committee, a diverse group of community leaders committed to enhancing communication with the FBI. In addition to learning about the FBI through presentations from SWAT members and special agent bomb technicians, students will be exposed to a wide variety of other careers, and will also meet agents from ATF and DEA.

The Norfolk FBI office recently held a CREST (Community Relations Executive Seminar Training) program at the ECPI College of Technology in Virginia Beach, VA, for criminal justice students. The event included an overview of the FBI’s mission and priorities, and presentations on counterterrorism, foreign counterintelligence, white collar crime, and cyber crime. Approximately 45 students took part in the program, which also focused on job and internship opportunities with the Bureau. Shown above with is Norfolk Assistant Special Agent in Charge Shawn Stroud, who gave the white collar crime presentation.

On June 6, 2011, as part of its Adopt-a-School Program, the Norfolk FBI office hosted a field trip and pizza party for 18 third and fourth graders of Park Place School, Norfolk. During the 2010-2011 school year, the Bureau implemented a Pen Pal Program in an effort to give students an inside look at the FBI, during which agents and professional support employees were paired up with students and exchanged letters. FBI personnel also visited the school twice a week to have lunch with their pen pals and serve as positive role models. At the end of the school year, students—who pledged to be good citizens, obey the laws of the country, and do their best in school—were presented with a Junior Special Agent badge and credentials. Above, Agent Wendell Cosenza discusses the dangers of being in a gang.

On June 6, 2011, as part of its Adopt-a-School Program, the Norfolk FBI office hosted a field trip and pizza party for 18 third and fourth graders of Park Place School, Norfolk. During the 2010-2011 school year, the Bureau implemented a Pen Pal Program in an effort to give students an inside look at the FBI, during which agents and professional support employees were paired up with students and exchanged letters. FBI personnel also visited the school twice a week to have lunch with their pen pals and serve as positive role models. At the end of the school year, students—who pledged to be good citizens, obey the laws of the country, and do their best in school—were presented with a Junior Special Agent badge and credentials. Above, Norfolk Special Agent in Charge Alex Turner presents a student with his Junior Special Agent credentials.

Recently, the Phoenix Chapter of the FBI Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association (FBICAAA) hosted a reception (above) for more than 200 community leaders that featured remarks by Holocaust survivor Helen Handler, who shared her experiences at Auschwitz. Following her presentation, guests were invited to Phoenix City Hall to view an FBI Phoenix traveling exhibit about the Holocaust called Enduring Eyes. During the 10-day exhibit, thousands of visitors to City Hall passed through the exhibit area. Enduring Eyes explores the history and the atrocities of the Holocaust, emphasizing the importance of protecting civil rights, a top priority of the FBI.

Recently, the Phoenix Chapter of the FBI Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association (FBICAAA) hosted a reception for more than 200 community leaders that featured remarks by Holocaust survivor Helen Handler, who shared her experiences at Auschwitz. Following her presentation, guests were invited to Phoenix City Hall to view an FBI Phoenix traveling exhibit about the Holocaust called Enduring Eyes. During the 10-day exhibit, thousands of visitors to City Hall passed through the exhibit area. Enduring Eyes explores the history and the atrocities of the Holocaust, emphasizing the importance of protecting civil rights, a top priority of the FBI. Above, Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Nathan Gray is shown with some of the exhibit’s visitors.

Buffalo FBI personnel recently participated in HEAL International’s youth forum, held for members of the immigrant/refugee community in response to a recent robbery involving Somali youth. More than 150 community members attended the event, which was also sponsored by the Buffalo Police Department, Child Protective Services, and a local city court judge. The FBI presented an overview on radicalization and warning signs for youth and parents.

As part of their end-of-year activities, Junior Special Agents from the Knoxville FBI visited the Law Enforcement Innovation Center’s National Forensics Academy in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Students took part in hands-on activities focused on evidence identification, collection, and preservation. A pizza lunch for students and instructors was provided by the Knoxville Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association.

To strengthen relations with local ethnic communities in central Ohio and to work with at-risk youth who could be vulnerable to gang membership, the Cincinnati FBI office recently partnered with the Columbus Global Academy to hold an FBI Teen Academy. The school, part of the Columbus City School District, serves recent immigrant and refugees students who have limited English skills. Students from Somalia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone, El Salvador, Congo, Liberia, Eritrea, and Guinea participate in the after-school program. Over several weeks, participating youngsters heard from FBI agents about the workings of the Bureau, including the Evidence Response Team, fingerprinting methods, footwear impressions, forensic alternate light source, and other evidence recovery techniques. Students asked a lot of questions and were able to try on ballistic vests.

In May, the Birmingham FBI office and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) co-sponsored a conference called Hate Crimes: 50 Years After the Freedom Rides. The event, which focused on the Shepard/Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, also provided a retrospective look at the Freedom Rides of 1961. Shown above in front of the Freedom Rides historic marker, are (left to right): BCRI President and CEO Dr. Lawrence Pijeaux; FBI Public Affairs Specialist Paul Daymond; Birmingham FBI Special Agent in Charge Patrick Maley (back); Birmingham Special Agent Dana Gillis; BCRI Vice-President Priscilla Hancock Cooper; Birmingham Police Department Captain Rosiland Short; FBI Civil Rights Unit Chief Eric Thomas, Washington, D.C.; Charles Long, Birmingham Mayor’s Office; and Birmingham Police Department’s Deputy Chief W.R. Tubbs.

On February 6, 2011, Houston FBI agent Patricia Villafranca, who also serves as that office’s community outreach coordinator, met with refugee youth who had recently arrived in the U.S. from areas of conflict around the world. The event was sponsored by the non-profit Partnership for the Advancement and Immersion of Refugees (PAIR). Young girls from Sudan and Somalia were thrilled, and a bit surprised, to learn that women could be FBI agents, and before the day was over expressed interest in becoming agents themselves one day.

The Kansas City FBI office recently hosted a CREST (Community Relations Executive Seminar Training) for the Islamic Society of Wichita which was attended by approximately 50 community members. The day-long event featured discussions of community concerns and presentations by guest speakers—including the U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas—on cyber security, terrorism, civil rights and hates crimes, and the Transportation Security Agency and airport matters.

The FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Division and the Pittsburgh FBI office recently fingerprinted 509 youngsters and distributed 950 National Child Identification Program kits during the “Kidapalooza” youth day at the Pittsburgh Convention Center.

The Philadelphia FBI office recently coordinated a behind-the-scenes tour of the Philadelphia district attorney’s office for students attending a leadership academy program at the Camelot School at Shallcross Academy. FBI community outreach specialists meet weekly with students at this alternative school to discuss conflict resolution and witness intimidation in an effort to help inner-city youth view law enforcement in a positive manner.

The Norfolk FBI office recently hosted the first session of an eight-week teen academy with criminal justice students at Norfolk Technical Center. Norfolk Special Agent in Charge Alex Turner (shown above) talked to the 15 juniors and seniors about the FBI’s mission and priorities, and he also encouraged students to live crime-free and drug-free.

On April 20, 2011, “America’s Most Wanted” host John Walsh and his crew visited the FBI’s Seattle office. David Rose, most recent recipient of the Director’s Community Leadership Award in Seattle, was part of the collaboration as the “Washington Most Wanted” crew celebrated its 200th capture. Shown above with John Walsh are several Seattle FBI employees: Special Agent Fred Gutt, Community Outreach Specialist Nakia Ray, and Public Affairs Specialist Ayn Dietrich.

On April 15-17, 2011, the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe of Hollister, North Carolina, celebrated its 46th Annual Pow Wow, and one of its guests was FBI Norfolk employee Felicia Bryant, who is of Haliwa-Saponi descent. The Haliwa-Saponi Tribe is the third largest tribe in North Carolina with close to 4,000 enrolled members, and every year it holds a pow wow to celebrate state recognition of the tribe, which occurred in 1965. This year’s theme was “Honoring Our Elders—Looking Back and Moving Forward,” and the event was attended by approximately 500 people. The Norfolk FBI office has extended an invitation to Tribal Council Charles Richardson, Jr., to participate in the FBI office’s upcoming American Indian Heritage Month celebration later this year.

On April 19, 2011, 11 agent and professional support personnel from the FBI’s Knoxville office participated in the Law Enforcement Torch Run to support Area 5 Special Olympics. Approximately 50 individuals from a dozen law enforcement agencies across East Tennessee partnered to support the event, which culminated in the ceremonial lighting of the torch to kick off the day’s events. Shown above, left to right, are: (back row) Alacia M. Harper, Stacie J. Bohanan, Knoxville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Edward Herbst, Harold J. Lynn, and Conley A. Ownby II; (front row) Ronda K. Stewart, Stephanie Rader Mangan, Kimberly P. Brophy, Mitzi T. Lavonis, Marvin S. Peterson, and Kenneth Paul Johnston.

The Tampa FBI office recently held a forum at the Islamic Center of Tampa to promote dialogue with the Arab/Muslim community. In addition to the FBI, also taking part in the forum were representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the University of South Florida, Temple Terrace Police Department, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Florida Attorney General’s Director of Civil Rights. The meeting was followed by a discussion among agency heads, community leaders, and other representatives, and FBI employees addressed questions and concerns from members of the audience concerning community safety issues.

The FBI Tampa office has developed a new program called Break Away: A Look at Careers in the FBI for high school and college students who are serious about pursuing a career with the FBI. The program is offered during school vacation breaks and gives students the chance to tour the FBI office and be paired with a Bureau employee to learn what it’s like to work for the FBI. To date, more than 100 teens have participated.

On March 18, 2011, Omaha Special Agent in Charge Weysan Dun and Public Affairs Specialist Sandy Breault attended the American-Tajik celebration of the spring holiday Navruz at Bellevue University in Bellevnue, Nebraska. Featured guests included Ambassador of Tajikistan Abdujabbor, U.S. Congressman Terry Lee, Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle, and Bellevue Mayor Rita Sanders. Approximately 200 people were invited to this event, which included ethnic music, food, and media opportunities.

On March 20, 2011, the San Diego FBI office responded to an urgent request for assistance from the Armed Services YMCA after families of U.S. military personnel in Japan were flown back to the U.S. on the heels of the recent earthquake and tsunami there. Many of the families ended up in San Diego with little more than once piece of luggage per family member. With less than 24 hours notice, Bureau employees (shown above) collected and delivered to the families a van full of toiletries, international calling cards, diapers, formula, baby wipes, toys, water, drinks, DVDs, and FBI coloring books. The military personnel are either still in Japan helping with relief efforts or are currently forward deployed to Afghanistan.

Our Las Vegas FBI office recently honored fifth grade students at J.G. Johnson Elementary School, Pahrump, Nevada, for winning the national award for the highest scores in the FBI-SOS (Safe Online Surfing) Internet Challenge, the first time a Nevada school has won the award. To celebrate, the school held an assembly that was attended by fourth and fifth grade students, their parents, faculty, and friends. FBI Agent Eric Vanderstelt of our Las Vegas Cyber Crime Squad, FBI Community Outreach Specialist Holly James, and FBI Staff Operations Specialist Jennifer Hemphill (a former student at J.G. Johnson) presented the awards. Students were also congratulated by Dr. William ‘Rob’ Roberts, superintendent of Nye County Schools, who spoke about the importance of Internet safety. Shown above with some of the award-winning students is school principal Dale Norton.

On March 20, 2011, students in the Knoxville FBI Junior Special Agent Program took part in a year-end field trip to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Through a partnership with the university’s Engineering Department, students participated in hands-on lectures to learn more about engineering and problem solving, took an all-access tour of the athletic facilities of the football and women’s and men’s basketball teams, and were part of a mock press conference in the press room.

FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Division Unit Chief Steve Fischer addresses 2,000 football coaches at the 2011 American Football Coaches Association Conference in Dallas, Texas, on January 11, 2011. Fischer and FBI Community Outreach Specialist Bill Holley (far left) presented Kansas State Coach Bill Snyder (right) with a Director’s Award for his efforts in promoting the Child I.D. Program throughout the state of Kansas. Through the leadership of Snyder, more than 250,000 Child ID kits were distributed to kindergarten and first grade students. He raised the funds that made the distribution of the kits possible, arranged press conferences, and assisted with getting the Bureau in touch with individual schools.

On January 29, 2011, the Norfolk FBI office held a CREST (Community Relations Executive Training Seminar) for approximately 150 members of the Hampton Roads community; most were graduates of local police departments’ Citizens’ Academies. During the event, Norfolk Special Agent in Charge Alex Turner gave an overview of FBI priorities; Chief Division Counsel Philip Mann discussed the USA Patriot Act; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Willie Session (above) gave a presentation on terrorism, maritime security, and weapons of mass destruction; and Community Outreach Specialist Vanessa Torres briefed participants on the Bureau’s Community Outreach Program. The seminar was coordinated by Ms. Torres and Master Police Officer Jeff Eaton of the Virginia Police Department, with the assistance of the Norfolk FBI Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association.

On January 29, 2011, the Norfolk FBI office held a CREST (Community Relations Executive Training Seminar) for approximately 150 members of the Hampton Roads community; most were graduates of local police departments’ Citizens’ Academies. The seminar was coordinated by Ms. Torres and Master Police Officer Jeff Eaton of the Virginia Police Department, with the assistance of the Norfolk FBI Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association. Shown above with Torres and Officer Eaton are Pam Hill (far left) and Eileen Nowlan (far right), both Virginia Beach Police Department employees and Citizens’ Police Academy alumni.

FBI Public Affairs Specialist Paul Daymond recently attended a reception in honor of visitors from Russia and Kazakhstan that was hosted by the International Society of Huntsville (ISH) and the International Services Council of Alabama (ISCA). The ISCA coordinates multicultural events and hosts international visitors travelling to Alabama under the auspices of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program. Several FBI Citizens’ Academy alumni serve on the board of ISH. Shown above with Daymond is Jackie Shipe, executive director of ISCA.

In an effort to unite community leaders and promote cultural understanding and awareness, the FBI’s Omaha Division recently held an open house for a variety of partners, including the Citizens’ Academy Alumni chapter, the Consul of Mexico, the U.S. Marshals, and others. The event included a bagpipe presentation, martial arts demonstration, and an Ebru Turkish art exhibit. After the success of the initial celebration, Omaha Special Agent in Charge plans to make it an annual event. Shown above with SAC Dun is Ly Foster, Alma Reed (Citizens’ Academy Alumni), Sheena Pike, and Annelore Reed, members of the Filipino-American Association of Iowa.

In an effort to unite community leaders and promote cultural understanding and awareness, the FBI’s Omaha Division recently held an open house for a variety of partners, including the Citizens’ Academy Alumni chapter, the Consul of Mexico, the U.S. Marshals, and others. The event included a bagpipe presentation, martial arts demonstration, and an Ebru Turkish art exhibit. After the success of the initial celebration, Omaha Special Agent in Charge plans to make it an annual event. Shown above is FBI Omaha Public Affairs Specialist Sandy Breault, with Hafsa and Ferhat Ozturk of the Niagara Foundation of Nebraska, displaying an Ebru Turkish water painting and Turkish glassware.

The Omaha FBI recently held a Community Relations Executive Seminar Training (or CREST) program with more than 100 members of the Bosnian community in Des Moines, Iowa. Omaha Special Agent in Charge Weysan Dun (above) helped facilitate the CREST, which included a section on identification of community concerns and group discussions. Also participating was the Omaha FBI Community Outreach Specialist. CREST is a shorter, more focused version of the Citizens’ Academy, conducted in partnership with a community group at an offsite location. Participants learn about the mission, goals, history, and internal workings of the FBI, but the sessions are customized to meet the needs of each group.

The Omaha FBI recently held a Community Relations Executive Seminar Training (or CREST) program with more than 100 members of the Bosnian community in Des Moines, Iowa. Omaha Special Agent in Charge Weysan Dun helped facilitate the CREST, which included a section on identification of community concerns and group discussions. Also participating was the Omaha FBI Community Outreach Specialist. CREST is a shorter, more focused version of the Citizens’ Academy, conducted in partnership with a community group at an offsite location. Participants learn about the mission, goals, history, and internal workings of the FBI, but the sessions are customized to meet the needs of each group.

Twenty-two Tampa middle school students recently completed the FBI’s Junior Special Agent Academy, a six-week program that emphasizes positive life choices. The academy, conducted around the country, is intended to improve school performance and educate students about the role the Bureau plays in their communities. The Tampa program included classroom sessions on FBI priorities, drug prevention, gang prevention, peer pressure, computer safety, and career opportunities. Students also participated in the Everest Challenge, which began with a classroom presentation about life challenges and healthy choices and ended with students being given the opportunity to apply the concepts they learned by climbing a rock wall.

On January 7, 2011, the FBI Buffalo’s Community Outreach Program—along with Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown and the City of Buffalo’s Commission on Citizens’ Rights and Community Relations—hosted an Anti-Bullying and Violence Prevention Summit for middle and high school students. Two hundred students from the School Ambassadors and Leaders of Tomorrow program participated in the day-long symposium. Through the help of trained facilitators, organizers worked to instill in students the seriousness of bullying and how it impacts them, bystanders, and the Western New York community. The day’s activities included workshops on cyber bullying, victimization, and prevention, including one focusing on the dangers of cyberbullying from e-mails, texts, and social networking websites led by FBI Community Outreach Specialist Vanita Evans (shown above).

The FBI Las Vegas Division recently took part in the second annual Human Trafficking Training event—coordinated by the Salvation Army and the Southern Nevada Human Trafficking Task Force—in Las Vegas. Approximately 200 representatives from law enforcement, local, state, and federal government agencies, and non-government organizations participated.

In December, the Knoxville FBI office participated in the City of Chattanooga’s Human Rights Day. The event, hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, is designed to educate children and adults about the consequences of racial, religious, and ethnic persecution by demonstrating the dangers of hate crimes and the attitudes that give rise to them. Shown above are Knoxville Victim/Witness Coordinator Carol Marshal (left) and Director Beverly Cosley, Office of Multicultural Affairs. The event also included presentations from a Department of Justice attorney, an FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award winner, and community activist Gene Rosenberg. Rosenberg presented the Traveling Trunk of Hate Crimes, an interactive exhibit that uses symbols of hate and intolerance to help teach acceptance and inclusiveness.

Richmond FBI employees spent the holiday season collecting canned goods for families in need as part of the Feds that Feed program. Bureau employees partnered with members of the local FBI Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association as well as representatives from other federal agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Internal Revenue Service; U.S. Marshals; Secret Service; and the Postal Inspection Service. Cadets from John Randolph Tucker High School’s Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) are assisting with the delivery of collection boxes.

Seattle FBI employees, along with representatives from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, teamed up to help celebrate the holiday season by donating over 1,000 gifts to Hazel Valley Elementary School in Burien, Washington. And on December 15, students were allowed to choose toys, including bikes and skateboards, to take home. Hazel Valley Elementary School was selected for the donations because more than 70 percent of students participate in the reduced lunch program.

On December 8, 2010, Holston Middle School students who participate in the Knoxville FBI’s Junior Special Agent Program took part in a Safety and First Aid class offered by the local Red Cross office. Through this unique partnership, volunteers with the Red Cross provide the students with hands-on skills such as assisting choking victims, banding an injury properly, and splinting broken bones.

The Cincinnati FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio recently sponsored a meeting of the local Multi-Cultural Advisory Council at the Cincinnati Museum Center. The meeting included a discussion about recent threats to Americans and a reminder for everyone to remain vigilant. Community leaders also spoke about issues and events in the community, including an ongoing hate crime investigation and concerns about an increase in anti-Semitism in the schools. Leaders from the local Muslim, Hispanic, African-American, Sikh, Turkish, and Jewish communities took part, along with Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Keith Bennett, Assistant Special Agents in Charge J. Mark Batts and Kevin Cornelius, and U.S. Attorney Carter Stewart. Assistant Curator Carlton Farmer also spoke to the group about the “American I AM: The African American Imprint” exhibit.

As part of their Adopt-a-School Program, Norfolk FBI staff recently adopted pen pals from Park Place School, which serves at-risk elementary school students from low-income backgrounds. In addition to sharing letters with students, Norfolk Community Outreach Specialist Vanessa Torres (above) recently visited the school to have lunch with students. This year marks the third year that the Norfolk office has worked with second and third graders from the school. Last year, students visited the FBI at the end of the year to meet their pen pals in person, receive a tour of the office, and enjoy lunch with agents and support staff. Special Agent in Charge Turner presented each student with a Certificate of Achievement for participating in the Adopt-a-School Program and committing to remain drug-free and crime-free.

The Knoxville FBI recently partnered with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to host training on human trafficking for more than 200 attendees, including representatives from local, state, and federal law enforcement, prosecutors, victim services providers, and social services. The event, which focused on identifying and rescuing victims of trafficking, also featured subject matter experts who gave an overview of cases. Shown above are organizers of “A Collaborative Approach to Combating Human Trafficking,” including (left to right) Knoxville Special Agent Kevin S. Keithley FBI Victim Specialist Andrea Firpo (Charlotte), DOJ Attorney Jonathan Skrmetti, FBI Victim Specialist Carol Marshall (Knoxville), DOJ Victim-Witness Coordinator Matthew Gallagher, and Knoxville Special Agent in Charge Richard L. Lambert.

In Portland, more than 20 teenagers recently attended the FBI’s first-ever Multicultural Youth Academy, a two-day program for teens that focuses on leadership and team building. High school students who applied to the program also got an inside look at the Bureau—learning about lifting fingerprints, casting, and career opportunities. For more details, see http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/partnerships_and_outreach/community_outreach/portland

In New Haven, the FBI recently teamed up with ESPN to participate in Security Awareness Week, an educational event for ESPN employees. Representatives from the New Haven FBI Community Outreach Program distributed child identification kits as well as materials on Internet safety and identity theft.

On October 20, 2010, the Virginia Conflict Resolution Center (VCRC) hosted its 20th anniversary Peacemaker Awards at the Princess Anne Country Club in Virginia Beach, Virginia, to honor individuals who have demonstrated leadership and dedication to peacemaking in their communities. The VCRC is a non-profit organization founded in 1990 by the Better Business Bureau. Center staff and volunteers provide mediation training, mentoring, services for youth, seminars on conflict resolution and diversity, and strategic planning programs in the southeastern region of Virginia. Pictured above are reward recipients, including FBI Norfolk Special Agent in Charge (left).

The Cincinnati Division—in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio, along with the Columbus Police Department—recently hosted a radicalization awareness presentation for more than 100 members of the Somali community, including students, parents,and community leaders. On the second day of the event, more than 200 members of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies attended a second presentation, held at the Columbus Police Training Academy.

The FBI Kansas City Citizens’ Academy Alumni chapter and Kansas City Wizards Major League Soccer team were recently honored for their work to improve and build youth soccer fields with a $25,000 award from the Major League Soccer Pepsi Refresh program. In June, more than 250 FBI and FBI Citizens’ Academy Alumni volunteers kicked off Phase I of an improvement project at the local soccer field, working to clear brush, plant trees, install bleachers and picnic tables, and paint lines. Kansas City Wizards players also participated in the effort and held a youth soccer clinic for kids in the area.

The FBI Kansas City Citizens’ Academy Alumni chapter and Kansas City Wizards Major League Soccer team were recently honored for their work to improve and build youth soccer fields with a $25,000 award from the Major League Soccer Pepsi Refresh program. In June, more than 250 FBI and FBI Citizens’ Academy Alumni volunteers kicked off Phase I of an improvement project at the local soccer field, working to clear brush, plant trees, install bleachers and picnic tables, and paint lines. Kansas City Wizards players also participated in the effort and held a youth soccer clinic for kids in the area. Pictured above are some of the more than 600 youth who participate in Kansas City’s Northeast Soccer League.

In celebration of National Bullying Awareness Month, FBI Community Outreach Specialists around the country are working in local schools to stop the cycle of bullying. In Buffalo, New York, Community Outreach Specialist Vanita Evans knows all too well the problems bullying can cause, so to address the issue and give kids the tools they need to stay safe, she has launched outreach initiatives that are quickly spanning the country. “We see violent crime, gang problems, civil rights issues,” she said of her work in the Buffalo field office. “We’re trying to be strategic about how we can give kids the tools they need to address these issues and become future leaders.”

Our Philadelphia office’s Community Outreach Program recently hosted its 10th annual Youth Academy, where more than 50 high school students attending the one-day event learned about the Bureau’s people and programs. After hearing about job and internship opportunities, students received briefings on Internet safety, our Evidence Response Team, and FBI efforts to counter threats from weapons of mass destruction, foreign counterintelligence, and narcotics.

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the FBI Community Outreach Program has recognized recent outreach efforts by our Cincinnati office, including a visit by a special agent (above) and a community outreach specialist with 40 students at the Su Casa Hispanic Center to promote healthy eating and good study habits. The students, many of whom use Spanish as their primary language, were participating in a 10-week summer program to increase academic achievement. Su Casa was founded in 1997 in response to an increase in the number of immigrants from Mexico and the rest of Latin America arriving in the Cincinnati area.

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the FBI Community Outreach Program has recognized recent outreach efforts by our Cincinnati office, including a visit by a special agent and a community outreach specialist with 40 students at the Su Casa Hispanic Center to promote healthy eating and good study habits. The students, many of whom use Spanish as their primary language, were participating in a 10-week summer program to increase academic achievement. Su Casa was founded in 1997 in response to an increase in the number of immigrants from Mexico and the rest of Latin America arriving in the Cincinnati area.

FBI intelligence analyst JD Narula spoke recently at an FBI Community Relations Executive Seminar Training (CREST) event held at a Sikh temple in New Jersey. More than 55 youth and 10 temple leaders attended the event, which included presentations on FBI operations, hate crimes, recruitment, the Evidence Response Team, K-9 units, counterintelligence, and agent self-defense tactics.

Our Boston office recently helped college students gear up for fall semester by hosting its first-ever Collegiate Citizens’ Academy. More than 50 students, from colleges in Boston as well as New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Maine attended the day-long event, where they learned about job and internship opportunities and received an overview of the Bureau’s operational side. Guest speakers gave presentations on a variety of topics, including polygraphs, the SWAT team, hostage negotiations, bombs, and terrorism. The Boston Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association sponsored a pizza lunch for the class.

On August 19, 2010, the Las Vegas Division held its first Cyber Community Relations Executive Seminar Training (or CCREST) for school administrators and educators. The program focused on cyber crime and identity theft and also gave participants the tools they need to protect children. One presentation focused on how the FBI investigates and prosecutes crimes against children. Another highlighted our CART (Computer Analysis & Response Team) and shared items that criminals use to hide child pornography and other illegal data. The CCREST also included a presentation on the Safe Online Surfing program—a free national Internet safety program designed to teach elementary and middle school students how to use the Internet wisely.

On 8/20/2010, the day after the Cyber CREST, members of our Las Vegas Community Outreach Program were at it again, this time presenting a Safe Online Surfing briefing at the Nevada PTA annual Summer Leadership Training for the presidents and treasurers of southern Nevada PTAs.

On September 1, 2010, while preparing for our Knoxville office’s move into its new space and in support of the FBI’s surplus property program—an initiative developed to provide non-profits with surplus property—Knoxville donated several items to South Doyle High School, including computer monitors and some furniture items. Additionally, the Knoxville office has a partnership with that high school’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) unit, and it provides all its used toner cartridges to the school as well. Shown here is ROTC Lt. Bill Woodcock and Knoxville Public Affairs specialist Stacie Bohanan.

In an effort to educate the local community on the FBI’s civil rights program, our Albuquerque field office hosted a civil rights workshop on July 7, 2010. Various law enforcement partners and medical/clinical personnel attended the one-day event, along with leaders from the African-American, Asian, Jewish, Native American, and Eastern European communities. Workshop topics included the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, hate crimes, human trafficking, and color of law violations. Special Agent in Charge Carol K.O. Lee (above) welcomed the attendees and answered questions regarding Albuquerque’s civil rights program.

In cities across the country, FBI staff and FBI Citizens’ Academy Alumni members took to the streets on August 3, 2010 to participate in the 27th Annual National Night Out, “America’s Night Out Against Crime.” This year, FBI staff in multiple field offices, including Buffalo, Birmingham, Milwaukee, Chicago and Springfield, participated in the event, distributing Child ID Kits and other crime prevention materials. The National Night Out campaign is intended to promote neighborhood spirit and positive relationships with law enforcement, as neighborhoods come together to heighten awareness for drug and crime prevention and send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and vigilant. At this year’s event in Birmingham, the Citizens’ Academy chapter distributed materials to more than 500 children and their families (above).

In cities across the country, FBI staff and FBI Citizens’ Academy Alumni members took to the streets on August 3, 2010 to participate in the 27th Annual National Night Out, “America’s Night Out Against Crime.” This year, FBI staff in multiple field offices, including Buffalo, Birmingham, Milwaukee, Chicago and Springfield, participated in the event, distributing Child ID Kits and other crime prevention materials. The National Night Out campaign is intended to promote neighborhood spirit and positive relationships with law enforcement, as neighborhoods come together to heighten awareness for drug and crime prevention and send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and vigilant. At this year’s event in Birmingham, youth got a chance to visit with the FBI SWAT team (above).

Media personality Steve Harvey visited FBI Headquarters on April 30, 2010 to discuss a new partnership intended to help reach at-risk youth. In June, FBI agents and staff will volunteer as mentors during the Steve Harvey Mentoring Weekend, a camp for teen boys growing up without father figures. The event, which is held Father’s Day weekend at Harvey’s ranch in Little Elm, Texas, helps youth become leaders in their communities, and emphasizes the importance of making smart life choices at an early age. In addition to working with youth, FBI staff and representatives from the Dallas Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association will host a Community Relations Executive Seminar Training (CREST) for the boys’ mothers that will focus on gang involvement and cyber safety.

Journalist Keishla Rolón was worried that navigating the FBI’s Citizens’ Academy in a wheelchair might slow her down. But thanks to support from FBI staff, she kept pace with her classmates and exceeded her own expectations. For more information, see http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/partnerships_and_outreach/community_outreach/sj_story

Since October 2009, the Cincinnati FBI Office has led an FBI Teen Academy program at Columbus Global Academy, a Columbus City School District school primarily for recent immigrants and refugees who have limited English proficiency. This year, FBI special agents and professional staff led a session of the Academy each month during the school’s Club Day activities, with approximately 20 students from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America participating. Students learned about the Bureau’s history and structure, violent crime program, evidence response and recovery, online safety, and investigative techniques. In April 2010, students were taken on a tour of the FBI’s Columbus Resident Agency. For many of these students, the FBI Teen Academy is the first positive exposure they have had to law enforcement in the U.S. or their native country.

In Knoxville, Public Affairs Specialist Stacie Bohanan briefed American Legion Post 256 members on how to protect themselves against identity theft. Her main message? Although many people do try to manage their personal information, it is important to remember that skilled identity thieves can use a variety of methods to gain access to your data, and it’s important to avoid being a victim by remaining vigilant and staying alert. Shown here with Stacie, left to right, are 1st Vice Commander Richard Gruber, 5th Vice Commander Renato Cesaretti, and 2nd Vice Commander Vic Vickery.

In an effort to educate the public on human trafficking issues in Alabama, the FBI Community Outreach and Civil Rights programs recently brought in survivors of trafficking and subject matter experts for a conference at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Various community leaders attended the event, which was intended to increase public awareness about human trafficking as a civil rights issue. Speakers also discussed law enforcement and community initiatives intended to combat the problem. For more information, see http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/partnerships_and_outreach/community_outreach/bh_story

Four eighth graders from Cape Coral, Florida, recently won the Florida State History Fair with a performance on the history of the FBI. The Diplomat Middle School students will be traveling to the Washington, D.C., area this summer to perform their skit “The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Time Warp of Justice” at the National History Day competition. The Florida students said that this year’s theme—Innovations in History: Impact and Change—was a great challenge for their team.

FBI agents and staff are reaching out to hundreds of at-risk teen boys, volunteering their time to mentor at the Steve Harvey Foundation Mentoring Weekend over Fathers’ Day weekend at Harvey’s ranch outside Dallas. The Steve Harvey Foundation mentoring program was established to help African-American teen boys growing up without father figures develop into future leaders. For more information, see http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/partnerships_and_outreach/community_outreach/dl_story

The FBI in Buffalo is working alongside its Citizens’ Academy Alumni and other partners to “Stop Bullying Western New York.” Volunteers kicked off the campaign in June by distributing 500 informational packets to parents and children at the premier of the movie “Karate Kid” in an effort to encourage peer advocacy and bring awareness to the problems bullying can cause. The FBI’s Community Outreach program has a comprehensive mission intended to deal with multiple interrelated societal problems, including civil rights, gangs, and drugs. The “Stop Bullying” program will continue throughout the summer and into National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week, the first week in October.

On July 20, 2010, FBI Community Outreach staff hosted the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s (NAACP) summer law fellows, part of an outreach initiative intended to identify and engage future leaders. Seven fellows from law schools across the country visited FBI Headquarters, where they met with representatives from Human Resources, toured the FBI’s Strategic Information and Operations Center, and met with members of the Office of Public Affairs to learn about branding, social media, and the history of the FBI.

Chicago Citizens’ Academy participants celebrated their graduation with a day at the FBI range, where they watched demonstrations (including one by this Bureau helicopter) and fired weapons.

A Chicago Citizens’ Academy graduate talks with Chicago Assistant Special Agent in Charge Arthur L. Everett.

Youth in Northeast Kansas City have a renewed sense of pride in their community, after hundreds of FBI employees, Citizens’ Academy Alumni, and community volunteers gathered to improve their local soccer field in an effort to strengthen ties between local residents and federal, state, and local law enforcement. For more information, see http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/partnerships_and_outreach/community_outreach/kc_story

Youth in Northeast Kansas City have a renewed sense of pride in their community, after hundreds of FBI employees, Citizens’ Academy Alumni, and community volunteers gathered to improve their local soccer field in an effort to strengthen ties between local residents and federal, state, and local law enforcement. For more information, see http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/partnerships_and_outreach/community_outreach/kc_story

Youth in Northeast Kansas City have a renewed sense of pride in their community, after hundreds of FBI employees, Citizens’ Academy Alumni, and community volunteers gathered to improve their local soccer field in an effort to strengthen ties between local residents and federal, state, and local law enforcement. For more information, see http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/partnerships_and_outreach/community_outreach/kc_story

Youth in Northeast Kansas City have a renewed sense of pride in their community, after hundreds of FBI employees, Citizens’ Academy Alumni, and community volunteers gathered to improve their local soccer field in an effort to strengthen ties between local residents and federal, state, and local law enforcement. For more information, see http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/partnerships_and_outreach/community_outreach/kc_story

The FBI Norfolk Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association held its first annual Law Enforcement Luncheon in April to foster teamwork between the FBI and local law enforcement agencies. Shown above, left to right, are Norfolk FBI Community Outreach Specialist Vanessa Torres, Alumni Association President D.R. Thrush, FBI Community Outreach Unit Chief Brett Hovington, and Alumni Association Vice-President Robert Spadaccini. For more information, see http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/partnerships_and_outreach/community_outreach/nf_story

The FBI Norfolk Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association held its first annual Law Enforcement Luncheon in April to foster teamwork between the FBI and local law enforcement agencies. Shown above, Supervisory Special Agent Hovington and FBI Norfolk Assistant Special Agent in Charge Willie Session prepare to deliver their remarks at the luncheon. For more information, see http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/partnerships_and_outreach/community_outreach/nf_story

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