Reality TV stars visit Questar III in Hudson

U.S. Marshals who star in the A&E television reality show “Manhunters: Fugitive Task Force” visited students at Questar III’s Columbia-Greene Educational Center in Hudson.Commander Leonard DePaul and his unit presented to Questar III’s Criminal Justice class at the request of teacher 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.Now in its third season, 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 U.S. 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.

In addition to DePaul, Police Detective Roxanne Lopez, New York State Parole Supervisory Agent Vincent Sencsimichy, and Department of Homeland Security Special Agent Thomas Kilbride visited Columbia-Greene Educational Center. The group gave a video presentation, which included a clip from their show, then answered questions about their jobs.

Inspired, some of the Criminal Justice students are now interested in becoming U.S. Marshals.

Mariah Messineo, a senior at Ichabod Crane High School, said “Meeting them changed my whole perspective. I always wanted to become a state trooper, but now I want to join the Marshals. There’s more adventure, more places to visit, and more money.”

As 17-year-old Steven Alecksynas from Ichabod Crane explained, “They pursue fugitives that either skipped bail or were never tried. They showed us what U.S. Marshals do when they go after fugitives and what they carry like shields, bolt cutters, and gas masks, and they always need a warrant.”

To him, the marshals are “like heroes,” he said. “They put a lot of dangerous people away.”

Alecksynas had planned to become a corrections officer, and now since the marshals’ visit, he wants to work at the federal level. “Those jails are high security with the most dangerous prisoners.”

Through classroom instruction, field trips and meetings with professionals in the field, students in Questar III’s two-year Criminal Justice prepare for a career in law enforcement. Dimmitt said this experience provided students with a chance to see the hard work and dedication needed to be successful in the field.

“I appreciate the time and attention the cast of Manhunters gave my students,” Dimmitt said. “They taught them a lot and fueled their interest in the fields of criminal justice and law enforcement.”