Stutsman County sheriff graduates from FBI National Academy

Aug. 5—JAMESTOWN — The Stutsman County sheriff learned more about becoming a better leader while he was at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, for 10 weeks.

"I've always been told that you cannot take enough leadership classes," Chad Kaiser said. "These were the classes that I was interested in."

Kaiser was one of 238 law enforcement officers who graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico. Kaiser said Joan Halvorson with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of North Dakota submitted his name to attend the FBI National Academy and he accepted the request to go. Kaiser was one of two law enforcement personnel from North Dakota who attended the academy.

"You have to be appointed by somebody or your name has to be put in by somebody," Kaiser said.

Kaiser and Chief Deputy Jason Falk are the only two members of the Stutsman County Sheriff's Office who have graduated from the FBI National Academy.

The FBI National Academy consisted of men and women from 47 states and Washington, D.C. The class also included members of law enforcement agencies from 25 countries, five military organizations and six federal civilian organizations.

Kaiser said there was a mix of law enforcement agencies from smaller and larger communities.

FBI National Academy instructors, special agents and other staff with advanced degrees provide the training, and many instructors are internationally recognized in their fields.

Kaiser said he mainly took leadership classes while he was at the FBI National Academy. He said he took four 500-level courses and received a graduate certificate through the University of Virginia.

All of the classes he took were free. He said he had to take six courses while he was there.

"That includes physical fitness, so you have five to choose essentially with one being leadership of some sort," he said.

Kaiser took "Psychology of Leadership," "Critical Incidents and Leadership Decision Making," "Effective Communications," "Advanced Human Engagement Strategies for Law Enforcement Executives," "Essentials for Law Enforcement Executives" and "Seminar and Managing the Law Enforcement Image."

The academy included speakers from all over the U.S. and also offered time for Kaiser to reflect on himself, he said. Kaiser said the leadership-type classes make individuals stop and think about what they are doing.

"(It could be) maybe a path that you were going down that you realize, 'Wow, this needed to change with myself,'" he said. " ... That is part of being there, being far from home and being away from work. You could really truly stop and think about yourself and how you are performing. That hit me a lot. A lot of things that I will be changing, that I have changed."

He said it was a good experience to learn from law enforcement members, which includes international students.

"That's why they say having interaction during classes is important because everybody wants to learn from everybody else, what's working and what's not, what's the same, what are they having problems with," he said. " ... Sometimes you think you are the lonely boat when actually it's all over the nation."

From international students in the academy, Kaiser said he learned about some tactics they use, some ways they handle issues such as drug problems that law enforcement in the U.S. are dealing with and what has or hasn't worked for them.

"It's just very interesting on how they handle some situations where we here in the States don't really handle things that way, never even thought of it that way," he said. " ... It just gives you a different perspective on things."

He said what he learned in the human engagement class will help with cases and communicating with others.

"That was more of talking with people and how to talk with people, just different views on how you communicate with people and sensing on how they are grasping things or how they are taking you and just picking up on cues on what is bothering them," he said.

For physical fitness, he said he learned newer ways to help keep himself physically fit and about eating habits and nutrition.

Attending the academy also got him more contacts where he can ask and get advice about certain situations.

"Right now I have contacts all over the world, truly," he said.

Now that Kaiser has received a graduate certificate for the academy classes through the University of Virginia, he said he only has to complete three more classes to obtain his master's degree, which he can complete online.

"I got a little time to think about it, but it may be something that I would like to do," Kaiser said.