FBI Miami
Special Agent Willie Creech
(754) 703-2000
March 14, 2024

Four South Florida Law Enforcement Officers Graduate FBI National Academy

MIAMI—Jeffrey B. Veltri, the special agent in charge of FBI Miami, announces the graduation of four South Florida law enforcement officers from the FBI National Academy, Session 289, at a ceremony held in Quantico, Virginia, today.

The officers are:

  • Undersheriff Thomas W. Raulen, Indian River County Sheriff’s Office
  • Major Javier I. Ruiz, Miami-Dade Police Department
  • Sergeant Matthew L. Castillo, Miami Springs Police Department
  • Major William R. Brannin, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

As FBI National Academy graduates, these officers enter a select group made up of less than one percent of the country’s law enforcement officers. They were hand-picked by their departments and, along with about 250 other officers, completed the 10-week course at the FBI training facility in Quantico, Virginia. The course included instruction in law, behavioral science, forensic science, understanding terrorism/terrorist mindsets, leadership development, communication, and health/fitness.

The FBI National Academy is dedicated to the improvement of law enforcement standards and has long been a benchmark for professional continuing education. Participants are drawn from every state in the union, from U.S. territories, and from over 150 partner nations. Police officers who attend the Academy return to their communities better prepared to meet criminal challenges.

The overall goal of the Academy is to support, promote, and enhance the personal and professional development of law enforcement leaders by preparing them for complex, dynamic, and contemporary challenges through innovative techniques, facilitating excellence in education and research and forging partnerships throughout the world.

The academy was created in 1935 with 23 students in the first class. It has grown over the years to the current enrollment of over 1,000 students a year. The FBI National Academy is one of the premier law enforcement academies in the world.

For more information about the FBI National Academy: https://www.fbi.gov/services/training-academy/national-academy