of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor ' 517

characterized by honesty and energy alone. It was produced by an organization
characterized by honesty and energy, it is true, but likewise equipped with a
special intelligence applicable to its work, and a degree of preliminary training
such as law enforcement in this Country previously had not known.

The FBI, not satisfied with the marked success thus obtained in its pre-
scribed field, in the year 1935 undertook to set in motion a process of formal
instruction for the benefit of law enforcement in all fields—County—Township
—Municipality and State. To that end, the FBI National Police Academy was
founded. The primary purpose of the Academy is to train carefully selected
representatives of law enforcement agencies brought from all sections, through-
out the entire Country, the purpose being that the representatives so selected
and trained, upon their graduation can and will return to their respective De-
partments all over the Nation, and be able to give to their fellow-officers the
benefit of the advanced knowledge and instruction so received.

The course of instruction is given by men who have become experts in their
particular field.. Since its foundation, the Academy has qualified over 600
graduates, who have come from every State in the Union. The. men thus trained
have not been confined to any particular branch of law enforcement.

Today we are meeting to attend upon the graduation of an additional
number. The occasion, therefore, warrants public commendation of not only
the present graduation class, but of former graduates, the officer and instructors
of the Academy itself.

The FBI National Police Academy has done, and is continuing to do pioneer
work of first importance in a heretofore neglected field. The character of the
work here being done deserves the widest appreciation, and only needs to be-
come known in order to receive general approval.

All too few of our people know of this Institution, and the work it is en-
gaged in doing. How many of our citizens. know that here in Washington men
especially skilled are, and have been for some years, engaged in training other
men, to the end that a higher degree. of intelligence and skill may be brought
to the protection of their community? ; -.

• To the present and former; graduates, 'so many of whom have returned for
the re-training session just ended, -1 may be permitted to suggest:

Your compensation for meritorious accomplishment, when you: shall have
returned to your local sphere of employment, will be found for the most part
to be primarily in the sense of work well done. Upon consideration. it will be
seen that this result must flow from your own very. caliber, and course of train-
ing. You will henceforth work, for the most part in cooperation with others.
The great changes in. modern. life, it must be remembered,, have brought about
equally great changes in the methods and ingenuities by which violators: of the
law (many of them sometimes in high places) now seek to carry on their opera-
tions. Such situations are ordinarily beyond the coping of the individual law
enforcement officer—hence the necessity for group work.

The old habit of the individual officer seeking public recognition for his
merit, not only lowered the standards, so necessary, but spoiled thousands of
opportunities for the law enforcement officer to do successful work. Many a