Female Police Captain Is Delco's First To Graduate FBI Academy

Delaware County officials congratulated the county's first female police officer to graduate from the prestigious FBI Academy recently. Chester Township Police Captain Laura Dixon Hartshorn was recognized Aug. 2 for being a trailblazer for Delco's female officers.

Hartshorn graduated from the academy on June 7, becoming the first female law enforcement officer from Delaware County to graduate from the academy.

“Delaware County is extremely fortunate to have an exceptional law enforcement community whose members give consistently of their time, talent and resources to ensure the safety of our families, homes, businesses and communities,” Councilman Dave White said. “Today we would like to recognize Captain Laura Dixon Hartshorn for her 21 years of dedicated service as a police officer and for blazing the trail for women in law enforcement."

Hartshorn was joined by her husband Walter Hartshorn along with Chester Township Police Chief Kenneth Coalson and members of the Chester Township Police Department and District Attorney Jack Whelan at the Aug. 2 meeting where she was recognized.

“We are extremely proud of Captain Hartshorn who has been a partner with our office on many initiatives. You may recognize her picture from bus shelters and billboards our office launched across Delaware County warning individuals who sell or purchase illegal guns that they face up to five years in prison,” Whelan said. “With her assistance, and assistance from our partners in law enforcement, we are aggressively targeting those who illegally sell and transfer guns, known as straw purchases, who face a minimum of 5 years in prison.”

With more than two decades of service in law enforcement, Hartshorn began her career as a patrol officer with Chester Township Police Department in 1996. Over the years she was promoted to Corporal and then to her current position as Captain of Police in January 2014. She is a graduate of Wilmington College where she received her degree in criminal justice. She also has a master’s degree from Saint Joseph’s University.

Hartshorn is a member of Whelan's Anti-Violence Task Force.

She was among the 228 graduates of this year’s 268th class which consisted of men and women from 47 states and 24 international countries.

Based in Quantico, Virginia, the FBI National Academy is a rigorous and selective program that consists of the top leaders in law enforcement from across the country.

Officers take courses on law, behavioral science, law enforcement communication, forensic science, intelligence theory, terrorism, management science and health and fitness. They are also tested physically.

In order to graduate, officers are required to complete a grueling obstacle course built by U.S. Marines that runs through the campus.

The fitness class is culminated with what is known as the “Yellow Brick Road” — a 6-mile course requiring participants to climb walls, run through water, crawl under barbed wire and maneuver across a cargo net. When developing the course, the Marines placed yellow bricks to guide runners along the grueling trail through woods, and difficult terrain.

Only the best of the best are selected to be in the academy. Fewer than one percent of police officers are selected to attend the academy and from that one percent, less than ten percent are women.

Pictured above, in front from left, are: Chester Twp. Police Chief Kenneth Coalson, District Attorney Jack Whelan, Chester Twp. Police Captain Laura Dixon Hartshorn, Walter Hartshorn, Councilman Dave White, Chester Twp. Officer Raymond Lare. In back, from left, are: Chester Twp. Detective Sgt. Merritt Harman, Vice Chair Colleen Morrone, Chairman Mario J. Civera, Jr., Councilman John McBlain and Chester Twp. Officer Jay Rattman.

Image via Delaware County