Lieutenant Michael Womer, Sunriver Police Department, recently completed one of the toughest challenges available to local law enforcement officers: the FBI National Academy. Lt. Womer and two other Oregon law enforcement officers graduated a ten-week training session at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, on June 7, 2019.

There is a highly competitive process local law enforcement officers must go through to be selected for this honor. That process includes a nomination by a supervisor; interviews with the candidate and co-workers to determine leadership skills and abilities; a background check; a determination of physical fitness; and the support of former National Academy graduates within the candidate's organization.

"The exceptional leaders selected to attend the National Academy have a great opportunity to share their experiences with peers and learn best practices from across the country and the world,” said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “Only a few law enforcement officers from Oregon attend each year, and we are proud to sponsor Lt. Womer and our other local partners in the National Academy.”

Born and raised in Washington County, Lt. Womer graduated high school in 1988. He spent two years in college before joining the U.S. Navy, serving overseas until 1995. At that time, he began his law enforcement career as a reserve deputy with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Over the next 15 years, he built his career as deputy, corporal, patrol sergeant, and detective sergeant with Washington County. In 2014, he moved to the Sunriver Police Department as an officer, promoting to lieutenant in 2018.

“This is an honor for the Sunriver Police Department and the community we serve” said Chief Cory Darling. “Lt. Womer is the first Sunriver officer to ever be selected to attend the FBI National Academy. Lt. Womer is a very dedicated leader for our department and I for one am very proud of his accomplishments.”

During the ten weeks of training, local executive-level law enforcement officers spend most of their time in the classroom. Lt. Womer's National Academy classes included: Leading At-Risk Employees, Fitness in Law Enforcement, Essentials for Law Enforcement Leaders, Behavioral Science for Leaders, and Effective Writing. The program allows participants the opportunity to earn college credits through the University of Virginia for some of those studies.

Each year, the FBI sponsors four sessions of the National Academy. Each session includes about 220 local law enforcement officers from throughout the United States and around the world. While in the academy, the officers and deputies live in a dorm-like setting. The FBI does not charge U.S. students for tuition, books, equipment, meals, lodging or travel to and from their home.