FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date:  July 31, 2007
Contact: Paul E. Daymond, Media Representative
Direct Dial: (205) 279-1457

FBI GRADUATES CITIZENS' ACADEMY CLASS

Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Carmen S. Adams announced today that the FBI Citizens' Academy Huntsville class of 2007 will graduate tonight at 6:00 p.m. This year's class is comprised of 21 business and community leaders.

"I thank these graduates for their character and their willingness to stand courageously with the FBI to help protect America," stated SAC Adams. "We not only want the partnership of local business, community, civic and religious leaders, we must have it to accomplish our mission."

The program, which began in 1993 in the Phoenix office of the FBI has expanded to all 56 FBI field offices. Nearly half of which opened after September 11, 2001 - a clear sign of how much the FBI values community partnerships in this era of homeland security and increasingly complex crime. The program provides attendees insight on the structure and operations of the FBI, as well as practical problems involving evidence collection and intelligence gathering. The goal of the FBI Citizens' Academy is to foster relationships and understanding between the local FBI field office and the community. "We must be open and responsive to the communities we serve," stated SAC Adams.

Anyone interested in attending the program may contact Paul Daymond at (205) 279-1457 for more information. This is the second class to graduate in Huntsville and the sixth class to graduate from the Birmingham Division.