Campus police captain completes intensive FBI academy

UMSL Daily

Marisa Smith was one of two Missouri law enforcement officers selected for the 10-week program in Quantico, Virginia, earlier this year. She’s been a member of the UMSL Police Department since 2003. (Photos courtesy of Marisa Smith)
Being outnumbered isn’t exactly new to Marisa Smith.
One of only two women in her St. Louis County Police Academy graduating class years ago, the University of Missouri–St. Louis staff member became the university’s first female minority police captain in 2016 when colleagues surprised her with the promotion.
Now she’s just back from being one of 19 women from around the country and the world to spend 10 weeks at the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“I was pleased, honored and humbled to represent not just UMSL but Missouri,” she said of the experience.
FBI Director James Comey congratulated UMSL Police Captain Marisa Smith during her graduation from the FBI National Academy this spring.
Smith was one of two officers from the Show-Me State who were part of the recent FBI National Academy, which trains both U.S. and international law enforcement managers in intelligence theory, management science, law, behavioral science, communication and more.
“Less than 1 percent of all law enforcement executives from across the country are selected to participate, and from that 1 percent less than 10 percent are women,” UMSL Police Chief Forrest Van Ness said. “Of all the 750,000 commissioned men and women in law enforcement across the country, FBI Director James Comey selected 226 law enforcement members – including our own Marisa Smith.”
Earning 17 credits from the University of Virginia during her stay in Quantico from early January through mid-March, Smith enrolled in academy courses focused on effective leadership, stress management, effective writing, compliance law and public speaking.
Each day also involved physical training, and it proved an intense but incredibly worthwhile schedule.
“It was great to discuss various issues and talk about how ...

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