BRYAN, Texas — Brazos County jail administrator Kevin Stuart is now the third person in the department’s history to receive specialized training from the FBI.
For the past ten weeks, Stuart has been in Quantico, Virginia, taking leadership courses alongside international law enforcement members.
“We did have a classmate who was from Ukraine, and we all became really close friends there," Stuart said. "That affected him deeply. He was away from his family, and there’s a war going on at home.”
While Stuart said he’s received excellent law enforcement training in Texas, being able to receive new perspectives from officers all over the world, under the tutelage of FBI experts, has really opened his eyes to some positive changes he’d like to make at the jail in Bryan.
“We have spent a lot of time taking care of other people and dedicated to our job, and sometimes we forget to take care of ourselves," Stuart said. "That’s what I hope to bring back here, is to encourage everyone to be healthy and happy, physically and mentally.”
Physical health was a priority at the academy. Most of the 200-plus students, Stuart included, followed a fitness regimen. Stuart was proud to complete the 6.1-mile obstacle course known as the ‘yellow brick road' after recovering from COVID-19 on week one.
“The instructors there are top-notch, and so we had fitness challenges every week and physical training classes," Stuart said. "They prepare you week-by-week, so by the time the yellow brick road came, we were fully prepared, and I actually had a really good time doing it.”
While the FBI National Academy doesn’t qualify Stuart as an FBI agent, it does count as college course credit hours. And, it’s taught Stuart more about communications and progressive leadership.
“We’re all a little bit different, communicate differently," he said. "And so it’s really important to understand how to work together effectively.”