U.S. Marshals who star in the reality show “Manhunters: Fugitive Task Force” visited Criminal Justice students at Questar III’s Columbia-Greene Educational Center in Hudson.
U.S. Marshals and Criminal Justice teacher Dave Dimmitt
Questar III’s Criminal Justice program is taught by Dave Dimmitt, who retired from the U.S. Marshalls in 2010 as the deputy assistant director for the New York Terrorist Prosecutions. For three years he was responsible for the operational and administrative oversight of the same unit that visited Questar III BOCES.
His former colleagues Commander Lenny DePaul, Senior Inspector Michael Romani and Sergeant Roxanne Lopez brought gear from their job and described their career pathways to becoming U.S. Marshals. Students were also given the opportunity to role-play scenarios that the Marshals had encountered in the past.
Sergeant Roxanne Lopez explained to the students, “This career comes with a lot of sweat, tears and tireless nights. There are a lot of nights with no sleep.”
She also emphasized to students the importance of making good decisions now to help earn a job in the future.
“Everything you do from this day forward will affect you in your job search. Respect each other, be honest and give your job 110 percent,” she said.
Senior Inspector Michael Romani said the law enforcement field is a competitive one. “If we’re going to give you a badge, a gun and you’re going to represent us, we want the best candidate possible.”
Now being shown on Crime & Investigation Network, Manhunters provides unprecedented access, granted by the Department of Justice and the U.S. Marshals, to the agents of New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force (NY/NJ RFTF) as they track down violent criminals on the run. Mandated by Congress, the NY/NJ RFTF is made up of multiple federal, state and local agencies, and has the unique ability to transcend jurisdictions to arrest violent fugitives.
Through classroom instruction, field trips and meetings with professionals in the field, students in Questar III’s two-year Criminal Justice program prepare for a career in law enforcement.
