South Wales Police Superintendent graduates from prestigious FBI national academy

Representing South Wales – Stateside: it’s been quite a start to the year for Superintendent Jason Rees, who has just graduated from the FBI’s prestigious National Academy.

Jason was one of almost 250 law enforcement officers – most of them from the United States – to have taken part in the most-recent edition of the 10-week programme. He attended alongside police colleagues from almost 30 other countries as well as 47 American states.

Supt Jason Rees receiving his graduation certificate from FBI Director Christopher Wray

The course, which is paid for by the FBI, combined academic work, examinations, group learning, and physical training, and emphasised principles such as leadership.

Jason, who is head of the Public Service Centre and has previously worked in roles including as head of operations in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, said:

“It was a huge honour to represent South Wales Police at the 285th Session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. It was also a huge honour to represent Wales and UK policing.

“Attending the academy required me to spend 10 weeks away from my family, which was extremely difficult, but I worked hard to make them proud in my absence.

“The FBI National Academy provided me with a golden opportunity to network with senior police leaders from 29 countries around the world, including over 200 United States senior law enforcement officers. I have made connections and friends for life during my time away from home.”

Jason was the only officer from the UK on this edition of the course, although a colleague from the Royal Gibraltar Police was also among the international contingent.

Talking about the merits of having completed the course, he added:

“The experience was invaluable. My classes focused on universal policing issues in areas of leadership, resilience, wellbeing and service delivery.

“Throughout it I focused on promoting South Wales Police, and indeed Wales and the UK, to the FBI National Academy and world-wide agencies.

“I have learnt many things from my experience within the academy, one of which is perspective and appreciation of how exceptional we are as an organisation. The British policing model, and how we within South Wales Police deliver policing services locally, is the envy of the world and is an aspiration for many agencies worldwide.

“Within South Wales Police we have exceptional leaders, officers and staff at all levels of our organisation, and I have returned home with an added appreciation and pride to be a part of TeamSWP.

“I want to thank South Wales Police and my colleagues for supporting me in my absence and I really look forward to getting back to work.”

FBI Director Christopher Wray spoke at Jason’s graduation ceremony, which took the total number of graduates to have completed the FBI National Academy since it began in 1935 to 54,154.

The National Academy is held at the FBI Training Academy in the same facility where the FBI trains its new special agents and intelligence analysts.

Jason on the ‘Yellow Brick Road’, a 10km run and obstacle course