University of Alabama Deputy Police Chief Micah Rodgers graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, on June 6.
Rodgers was one of 201 law enforcement officers to graduate from the 290th session of the Academy, which consisted of men and women from 46 states and the District of Columbia. The class also included members of law enforcement agencies from 24 countries, five military organizations and six federal civilian organizations.
“The National Academy is professional development on steroids for law enforcement, and the networking opportunities there are second to none,” Rodgers said.
“UAPD has had several opportunities to send a ranking UAPD representative to the National Academy,” said UA Police Chief John Hooks. “It’s always an incredibly valuable opportunity to learn, develop, and network while graduating from this very prestigious academy.”
While at the Academy, Rodgers took part in advanced leadership, communication and fitness training and earned a graduate certificate from The University of Virginia, which partners with the FBI’s Training Division for the academic curriculum.
“I got healthier from the physical training, and I learned some valuable tools about organizational leadership and management. I also gained more than 200 new friends and professional partnerships,” Rodgers said.
Rodgers praised the Academy for providing him the opportunity to recognize the importance of personal and employee wellness in law enforcement.
“The tools I was given in areas such as conflict resolution and crisis management can be applicable to many situations for UAPD and UA,” Rodgers said. “But I also believe that focusing on the individuals within our organization is the really important piece. Law enforcement can be a tough job, so whenever we can improve the overall employee experience for the members within our organization, that’s really important.”
Rodgers has been with UAPD for more than 15 years, working as an officer in both the Patrol and the Community Oriented Policing Divisions, and as an investigator in the Criminal Investigations Division. He also served as an investigator on the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit. He served as a sergeant and lieutenant over the Patrol Division before being named a captain, where he worked as the Commander of the Security Resources Division before being assigned as the Assistant Support Commander and Internal Affairs Authority. In 2020, Rodgers was promoted to Deputy Chief and assigned as Commander of UAPD’s Support Section.
As for the time that he spent at the National Academy, Rodgers said, “I learned a lot about myself and how much I value my family for their sacrifice that allowed me to spend 10 weeks away from them to have this incredible experience.”
A total of 55,186 graduates have completed the FBI National Academy since it began in 1935.
Other Academy graduates serving in public safety at The University of Alabama include Police Chief John Hooks, UAPD Captain Chad Stephens, Director of Emergency Management Donald Keith, Security Resources Operations Manager Mike Lee and Director of UA System Security Steven Anderson.