Wilmington Police Dept. Lieutenant Yolanda R. Sparrow Graduates from FBI National Academy

Wilmington, NC – The Wilmington Police Department is proud to announce the graduation of Lieutenant Yolanda R. Sparrow from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Lt. Sparrow was selected among seven candidates from the State of North Carolina and 272 candidates representing 49 states in the US and District of Columbia, 26 international countries, five military organizations and four federal civilian organizations.

“What an amazing privilege it is to have been chosen for such an outstanding training program,” says Sparrow. “As a youth, I would never have imagined that an African-American young lady such as myself from the inner-city of Wilmington, NC would make it this far. This truly proves that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.” Sparrow, a native of Wilmington, has been with the Wilmington Police Department since 1986. She entered the agency by way of the Summer Youth Program as a records clerk and gradually moved through the ranks to Lieutenant.

The FBI National Academy, internationally known for its academic excellence, is one of the most prestigious law enforcement programs in the world. Sparrow started the program on July 11 of this year and graduated on September 17. The ten-week course is designed to provide the candidates with intense leadership classes designed by the University of Virginia, the FBI Academy Instructional Staff, Special Agents and other staff members. All classes are geared toward preparation for current and future leadership in law enforcement around the world.

The course also is physically demanding. During the ten weeks Sparrow along with other classmates completed a rigorous training schedule, ran nearly 100 miles and completed 1000’s of push-ups, all in an effort to prepare them physically and mentally for the challenge of leadership. “This was an amazing challenge for me, having sustained a traumatic injury two years ago, I was amazed at how quickly my mind, body, and soul adjusted to the intense work outs,” says Sparrow.

FBI Director Robert S. Mueller was the principal speaker at the graduation ceremony.

The FBI National Academy was started in July of 1935. This year the Academy celebrates its’ 75th Anniversary. http://www.fbi.gov/hq/td/academy/na/na.htm. Use this site to get some background on the FBINA.