Captain Travis W. Gullberg, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, recently completed one of the toughest challenges available to local law enforcement officers: the FBI National Academy. In mid-December, Captain Gullberg and two other Oregon law enforcement officers completed a ten-week training session at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

The selection process for the honor of attending the academy is a highly competitive. The process includes a nomination by a supervisor; interviews with the candidate and co-workers to determine leadership skills and abilities; a background check; a determination of physical fitness; and the support of former National Academy graduates within the candidate’s organization.

“The exceptional law enforcement leaders selected to attend the National Academy each year have the unique opportunity to share their experiences with peers and learn best practices from officers from across the globe,” said Renn Cannon, special agent in charge of the FBI in Oregon. “Only a few officers from Oregon have the chance to attend each year, and we are proud to sponsor Captain Gullberg and our other local partners in the National Academy.”

Captain Gullberg graduated from Centennial High School in Gresham, Oregon. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology and Social Work from Warner Pacific University in Portland, Oregon. He and his wife Janet have been married for 26 years, and they have two sons.

Captain Gullberg began his law enforcement career in 1996 as a police officer in Rock Springs, Wyoming. He joined the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office in 1998 as a Patrol Deputy. During his career, he has worked in the Civil Process Unit, Detectives Unit, and the River Patrol Unit. He has also served on the East County Major Crimes Team; Search and Rescue Team; Dive Team; and K9 Teams. Captain Gullberg is leaving his current assignment as Captain of the Professional Standards Unit and moving back to Patrol Operations as Acting-Chief of the City of Troutdale.

“MCSO encourages and supports all of its members to seek out new ways to continue their personal and professional growth. This not only leads to a more rich and satisfying sense of well-being, but also creates additional opportunities for career development and promotion,” said Sheriff Mike Reese.

During the ten weeks of training, local executive-level law enforcement officers spend most of their time in the classroom. Captain Gullberg’s National Academy classes included: Essentials for Law Enforcement Executives; Advanced Psychology of Communications; Advance Spirituality and Wellness; Managing the Law Enforcement Image; Fitness for Law Enforcement; and Contemporary Issues in Law Enforcement. The program also allows participants the opportunity to earn college credits through the University of Virginia for some of those studies.

In addition to the classroom work, participants have physical training courses and activities. Captain Gullberg achieved many fitness goals while at the academy. He completed the Yellow Brick Road Challenge, which is a 6.5-mile obstacle challenge course with run, and he earned class awards for swimming 34 miles, biking 274 miles, and rowing 34 miles. He also set personal bests for the mile run and the 5k run.

Each year, the FBI sponsors four sessions of the National Academy. Each session includes about 220 local law enforcement officers from around the United States and around the world. While in the academy, the officers and deputies live in a dorm-like setting. The FBI does not charge U.S. students for tuition, books, equipment, meals, lodging, or travel to and from their home.