Nearly three dozen law enforcement officers from around the state and region received specialized training from the U.S. Secret Service at Northwest College earlier this month.

While the Secret Service is best known as the group of personnel in suits who provide protection to the president and other top officials, that’s not all the agency does. As one example, the agency’s growing Critical Protective Analysis Group (CPAG) reviews and analyzes attacks “by violent extremists and terrorist groups against a variety of targets” and shares what it learns with fellow officials.

The cadre of analysts and agents offers briefings to law enforcement officers, first responders, lawmakers and others on topics like pre-operational surveillance, blending and disguise, penetrating perimeter security, motorcade attacks, homicide bombers, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), unmanned aerial systems, active shooters and sovereign citizens. Three members of CPAG visited Northwest College’s Yellowstone Conference Center on June 6, where they offered a four-hour briefing for officers on security threats.

CPAG had previously offered some of its specialized training at the University of Wyoming, but earlier this year, the service reached out to see if NWC would be interested in hosting a session.

“We were like, ‘[Heck] yeah,’” said NWC Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Dave Patterson.

A Secret Service representative had previously visited the NWC campus to chat with criminal justice students about career opportunities with the agency, but this was a new opportunity. While criminal justice students got an opportunity to meet the CPAG representatives, this month’s event was for law enforcement professionals already in the field. 

A total of 33 officers attended, from police departments ranging from Powell and Cody to Sheridan, sheriff’s deputies from Park, Hot Springs, Sweetwater and other counties, a couple Montana officers and a Lander-based agent with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Patterson said.

CPAG’s presentation was tailored to the audience, he added. For instance, motorcade attacks were not covered, but there was still plenty of on-point material.

“If you wanted it to be, this could be an all day affair,” Patterson said, adding later that the session “went very well.”