Petaluma Police Lieutenant Graduates From FBI National Academy

Press release from the Petaluma Police Department:

June 21, 2022

The Petaluma Police Department is proud to announce that Police Lieutenant Tim Lyons, a 32-year veteran of the Department, recently returned from Quantico, Virginia after graduating from the 282nd Session of the FBI National Academy.

The FBI National Academy welcomes approximately 265 law enforcement professionals to the FBI training facility in Quantico, Virginia, for each class. Students represent local, county, tribal, state, military, and federal law enforcement agencies from the United States and more than 150 partner nations. Courses during the rigorous, 10-week program include intelligence theory, terrorism and terrorist mindsets, management science, law, behavioral science, law enforcement communication, and forensic science. Students and their respective law enforcement agencies receive tuition, books, equipment, meals, lodging, and travel to and from the training facility at no cost.

Since its founding in 1935, more than 53,000 law enforcement professionals graduated from the FBI National Academy. The program originally launched as the “FBI Police Training School” in response to the 1930 Wickersham Commission report recommending standardization and professionalization of law enforcement in the United States through centralized training. At the time, courses included scientific aids in crime detection, preparation of reports, and criminal investigation techniques as well as administration and organization.

The goals of the modern FBI National Academy include improving administration of justice in police departments and agencies both at home and abroad and raising law enforcement standards, knowledge, and cooperation worldwide.

Following graduation, each officer may join the FBI National Academy Associates, Inc., a dynamic organization of more than 16,000 law enforcement professionals who continue improving the level of competency, cooperation, and integrity among the global law enforcement community.

Lieutenant Lyons joins a group of law enforcement leaders in Petaluma who have attended the FBI National Academy. In 1949, Police Chief Melvin DelMaestro sent our first attendee, then Captain Delbert Cole, to the FBI National Academy. Since then, the Department has maintained this advanced training at the executive level with the FBI National Academy which has directly contributed to the level of professionalism, leadership, training, high standards and best practices through community policing expected by the public we serve.

To learn more about the FBI National Academy and the nomination process for students, visit https://www.fbi.gov/services/training-academy/national-academy

Please join us in congratulating Lieutenant Lyons on this accomplishment and welcoming him home to his family.

This press release was produced by the Petaluma Police Department. The views expressed here are the author's own.