By: Jason Lefevre
“Students gain many law enforcement attributes from the time they arrive at the FLETC to the day they leave. Most often, they don't even realize they are sharpening their skills; I thoroughly enjoy being a part of that process.”
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers’ (FLETC) Physical Techniques Instructor Stacey Weinstein is heavily involved in that process. She helps instruct topics to students enrolled in three FLETC basic training programs: Criminal Investigator Training Program, Uniformed Police Training Program, and Land Management Police Training. A typical day for Weinstein ranges from instructing students in a mat room, following a lesson plan curtailed to their agency, to helping them prepare their fitness readiness in the gym. A training day could include:
- Subject Control Tactics
- Fitness
- CPR/Basic First Aid
- Tactical Medical Training
- OC Spray
- Baton/Collapsible Straight Baton Tactics
- Electronic Control Devices
- Crowd Control
- Arrest Techniques
Weinstein garnered plenty of experience with those topics and more during her time as a law enforcement officer with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
“I worked with U.S. Customs and Border Protection from August 2012 to July 2021,” said Weinstein. “I have worked in Presidio, Texas and Ketchikan, Alaska. In Presidio, I worked at a land border in the middle of nowhere checking people entering the U.S. I have seized hundreds of pounds of drugs in my time there and processed many cases relating to illegal immigration and drug smuggling.”
“In Ketchikan, I would travel in float planes to check foreign vessels paperwork and documents, meet vessels at the many harbors in Ketchikan to check documents from those arriving to the U.S. via vessel from a foreign port and check paperwork and documents for cruise ships and cruise ship workers arriving from a foreign country.”
But that wasn’t the only thing Weinstein managed to do in Alaska.
“In Ketchikan, I fished and hiked a lot. I am pretty sure I outfished my husband there and have the record between the two of us for biggest salmon and halibut!”
At FLETC, Weinstein enjoys seeing the students evolve throughout their training.
“I enjoy seeing a new class evolve from day one to the day they graduate,” she said. “Students morph from fresh out of college or being complacent in a prior law enforcement career to being a polished agent/officer; someone I would trust having my back and the backbone of our nation.”
She also enjoys being a female in a male-dominated environment.
“There are very few female instructors in FLETC’s Physical Techniques Division (PTD). I feel as though I help lead the way for female students to be strong, independent women in law enforcement. I hope that the female student population can look at me and say - if she can do it, so can I. Sometimes we as humans need a little push, hopefully I can help someone who needs a bit of encouragement.”
Outside of work, Weinstein enjoys cooking, gardening, fishing, and spending time with her husband and son. Uniquely, she also enjoys spending time with her husband inside of work – he is also an employee within PTD. And family for Weinstein is what life is all about.
“Somehow it just works. I married my best friend and have a perfect handsome little boy. What more could you ask for in life!”