“When I was offered an interview to participate in the FBI National Academy last year, I jumped at the chance. It’s been five years since I first applied to the prestigious program for law enforcement leaders. Only two officers from Utah are invited to attend the training twice a year.

I moved to Marine Corps Base Quantico in September for 10 weeks, living in the dorms, eating in the cafeteria, completing physical challenges and taking master’s degree-level courses in law enforcement. It was harder than I expected! But overall, it was a fantastic experience—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

I studied conflict resolution, officer wellness, violent crimes, forensics and many other topics. My favorite class discussed how to be transparent with the media while protecting the privacy of our investigations. I also learned how important it is to make sure your staff is taken care of physically and mentally.

As the oldest female in my class, I initially worried about the physical aspect of the program. Every week, we had a challenge ranging from running to weightlifting to working as a team. Our final test was the ‘yellow brick road’—a 6.1-mile, grueling obstacle course that Marines do as part of their training. It involves shimmying through windows, climbing over cargo nets, sliding under logs and wading through muddy water. It takes endurance, strength and teamwork, and I was proud to complete the course in the required time.

As a woman in a male-dominated career, I consider myself an equal to the men I work with. I was a little older—in my mid-30s—when I first became a police officer in Midvale. I came to the U in 2008 and worked my way up from detective to my current position as executive officer of the University Department of Public Safety. My career has mostly focused on interpersonal violence, sexual assault and stalking cases. I am an instructor with the Utah Department of Public Safety Peace Officer Standards and Training team, and I use trauma-informed practices to teach Adult Sex Crimes Investigations courses to officers across the state.

Working with the community is the most important part of what I do. Police at the U are involved in just about every aspect of the campus community. I attended the FBI National Academy to make sure that I am continually improving, and I’m passing on what I’ve learned to make sure everyone in our department is following policy and the law. We are still building trust with the community. That’s one thing police agencies should always be doing.”

—Maj. Heather Sturzenegger, executive officer, University Department of Public Safety

Listen to Maj. Sturzenegger discuss her experience at the National Academy.