Chief deputy finishes FBI training at Quantico

One of 20 in the state sent to academy

EPHRATA - Grant County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy John Turley, 58, graduated from the Federal Bureau or Investigation (FBI) National Academy in Quantico, Va., earlier this month.

"I survived 10 weeks of fairly grueling physical training which culminated in a final 6.1-mile run through the U.S. Marine Corps obstacle course on the Quantico Marine base known as the 'Yellow Brick Road,'" Turley said. "Being the oldest candidate in the session, it was a relief to finish standing up straight."

Each year the state sends 20 law enforcement executives to the training facility. The training is sponsored by the Department of Justice through the academy.

Turley lived in a dormitory with 268 other law enforcement members. He shared bedroom and bathroom facilities and ate meals in a cafeteria with hundreds of other law enforcement members.

"My course of education spanned six college equivalent courses with more than 270 hours accredited through the University of Virginia," Turley said. "It was a pleasure to represent Grant County and graduate with men and women from all walks of life, both foreign and domestic."

Turley completed a 6.1 mile run through an obstacle course with other law enforcement leaving him feeling honored to train with them.

"I was honored to finish that run with an officer from Missouri who had survived a near fatal motorcycle collision eight months prior to the academy and a captain with the Huntsville (Alabama) Police Department who, in February, finalized six months of chemotherapy treatment for colon cancer," Turley said. "Our motto to get us through was, 'you only need to be as fast as the last guy.'"

The academy is known for academic excellence. Students learn advanced investigative, management and fitness training, according to the department of justice. Students are chosen for their professionalism within their department and usually have approximately 19 years of law enforcement experience.

Training is provided by academy staff and special agents. Several are known internationally for their expertise.

Since 1935, 41,698 students graduated from the academy and 24,186 remain in law enforcement, the department of justice advised.