Chief Bowers returns from FBI Academy

Bowers said it was a tough course of study, but that she took her weekends to see as much of the area as she could, including visits to a half-dozen historic Civil War battlefields. She says she’s a history buff.

Bowers said she also happened to be in Manhattan the day Faisal Shahzad attempted to set off a car bomb in Times Square. The FBI had organized a trip to New York City to get a view of their police operations, but Bowers said she and a friend decided to skip a SWAT demo in favor of seeing a Broadway show.

They came out of the show and saw a real-life SWAT situation in response to the attempted bombing. “We knew better than head for the scene,” she said. They headed to a restaurant and found themselves locked in for awhile because of the police activity.

Bowers said she appreciated the cards and care packages that Anacortes friends sent to her. Big city cops, she said, told her she must be from Mayberry. “Not, Mayberry, but Anacortes,” was her response, she said.

The only other FBI-organized trip was to see the Philadelphia Police Department.

She was one of 260 law enforcement officers who graduated from the FBI National Academy last Friday. The Academy program consists of 10 weeks of advanced investigative, management and fitness training, according to the FBI.

Bowers said she’s glad she’s home now.