FBI St. Louis Citizens Academy Alumni Association

1. In coordination with FBI, organize, invite, and present cyber security information to businesses and non-profits, especially those that do not have dedicated IT resources.
2. Support FBI Citizens Academy in addition to the new half-day version for executives.
3. Support FBI Teen or Youth Leadership Academy, where top junior or senior high school students will be invited to participate.
4. Co-sponsor and support the annual LDA memorial golf tournament.
5. Fundraise, possibly at Top Golf, to increase general revenue to enable FBISTLCAAA to better support and/or execute initiatives that make a difference in improving the community.

The FBISTLCAAA held its holiday reunion at Spazio Westport on December 12^th. Approximately 40 members gathered to enjoy each other’s company, food, and the following:

• Emeritus and founding member Norm Appelman was recognized for his enormous generosity. He gifted his shares to start an investment account to sustain the viability and to support the mission of FBISTLCAAA. Happy 93^rd Birthday Norm!
• Immediate Past President Gary Chan recapped how our chapter won two national awards, the Presidential Chapter of Excellence & Public Safety Innovation Award, which were presented at last August’s National Citizens Academy Alumni Association Leadership conference in Houston.
• Chapter President David Brickhaus and FBI SAC Richard Quinn signed the 2020 Memorandum of Agreement, which includes five objectives for our chapter.
• SAC Quinn presented significant investigations accomplished by FBI St. Louis in 2019 and answered lots of questions.

Thank you to all who brought books to the event to help launch our chapter’s “Little Free Library.” Installation locations TBD.

The FBISTLCAAA received two national awards at the recent annual 2019 National Conference: the Presidential Chapter of Excellence and the Public Safety Innovation Award. Thank you to all our members for helping us achieve this honor.

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Presidential Chapter of Excellence Award
This award is given to an FBICAAA chapter, which has exhibited excellence in all organizational aspects: strong partnership with their local FBI Field Office; successful community outreach programs; sustained membership growth; full compliance with all documentation required by the Federal, state, and local entities to be a certified 501(c)(3), non-profit organization; meeting all FBINCAAA standards for professionalism and participation to include attendance at the previous year’s FBINCAAA Leadership Conference.

FBINCAAA Innovation Award
This award is given to chapters, who exhibit uncommon innovation and creativity. This includes innovative approaches to community outreach; developing and maintaining excellent chapter membership participation; creating unique partnerships within their communities; and/or leading the way in establishing true “Best Practices,” which can be replicated by other FBICAAA Chapters.

The FBI, US Secret Service, and DHS held a briefing regarding e-Skimming on September 5, 2019. Any business accepting online payments on their website is at risk of an e-Skimming attack.

To learn more about the growing threat of e-skimming attacks, you can listen to this FBI podcast.

Or review this recent posting from the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies.

On June 29th, members supported the FBI at the annual Redbird Rookies Health Fair, hosted by Cardinals Care, the team’s community foundation dedicated to improving the lives of children. Our booth sported giveaways, community-relevant FBI information, and a virtual reality experience. This combination made the FBI/FBISTLCAAA booth the hit of the event with crowds lining up to learn about the FBI and play games.

Our members volunteered to help the Spring 2019 FBI Teen Academy by role-playing for a mock bank robbery investigation.

The FBISTLCAAA helped sponsor a Mental Health First Aid Public Safety course for Special Agents of the Army’s Criminal Investigative Command by donating funds to pay for all of the class manuals. Retired FBI Special Agent Karyn Feeney commented:

“A special thank you to the FBISTLCAAA for sponsoring Mental Health First Aid Public Safety to Special Agents of the Army’s Criminal Investigative Command on April 18, 2019 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana.  We had an engaging class of students who were open to reducing stigma surrounding mental health. We were excited to certify over fifteen Special Agents from across our nation and we could not have done it without your help. We look forward to partnering with you in the future.  Thank you.  Mental Health First Aid Instructors Karyn Feeney and Tony Campbell”

On March 24, 2019 (Sunday), the FBISTLCAAA sponsored a joint DEA and FBI event held at Festus 8 Cinema to raise awareness about opioid abuse. The goal of showing Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict is to help people understand the critical components of opioid addiction – how easily it can began, the downward cycle that ensues, followed by tragic consequences.

FBI SAC Rich Quinn and DEA SAC Bill Callahan explained their desire to provide information, resources, and support to communities beyond the City and County of St. Louis. They also strongly encouraged the attendees who the packed auditorium with the following: (1) To engage with resources made available at the event if they know someone who may need help. (2) To show the documentary to others, especially in high schools. Anyone can watch the 50-minute documentary online: https://www.fbi.gov/video-repository/newss-chasing-the-dragon-the-life-of-an-opiate-addict/view

After the showing, the executive director of NCADA moderated a panel discussion with FBI, DEA, Jefferson County Drug Prevention Coalition, COMTREA, and an individual in recovery.

See more about the event as published in a local periodical, Leader Publications, titled: Opioid addiction film delivers powerful message.

Additional information and support resources:

• NCADA: (314) 962-3456, http://ncada-stl.org/
• MO-HOPE: https://MOHopeProject.org
• Opioid STR: https://MissouriOpioidSTR.org
• United Way of Great St. Louis: 211 or (800) 427-4626; http://www.211helps.org/
• Behavioral Health Response: 24-hour Crisis Line: (314) 469-664 or (800) 811-4760, http://bhrstl.org/

By Larry Christopher – FBISTLCAAA life member

On February 20, 2019, representatives of the FBI St. Louis office; Dr. Stephen Liang, MD; and members of the Barnes-Jewish Hospital emergency room staff provided guidance on how to respond to mass casualty events to members of the FBI St. Louis Citizens Academy Alumni Association.  Presenters agreed that run, hide, and fight remains the recommended approach for dealing with active shooters.  They explained how those in danger should interact with law enforcement during an event: police are there primarily to secure the site and neutralize the shooter(s), not to rescue or interact with victims.  Stay clear of them, and do not engage except to respond to commands or provide information.  At the end of the seminar, all those present participated in a drill that reinforced what was learned.

The seminar also addressed how to deal with the wounded following a mass casualty event.  Statistics show that a large percentage of deaths at these events are from blood loss following wounds to extremities.  Those deaths, Dr. Liang stressed, are preventable.  Recognizing this, the American College of Surgeons, the FBI, and others created a protocol known as the Hartford Consensus which makes stopping bleeding the highest priority following shootings, explosions, and other similar events.  Medics and emergency room personnel at the seminar explained principles of trauma care response and presented different procedures to stop the loss of blood.