FAQ

The Department of Criminal Justice is pleased to award the second annual Criminal Justice Distinguished Alumni Award to two individuals Sam Briggs, Supervisory Border Patrol Agent, in the United States Border Patrol and Michael Halter, 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army.

Sam Briggs entered on Duty (EOD) with the US Border Patrol on May 15, 2000, ten (10) days after graduating from N.S.U. with a degree in Criminal Justice. After completing the 20-week academy in Charleston, South Carolina, he moved to start his official duty station in Blythe, California. Since arriving at his duty station in Oct. 2000, Sam participated in various support and enforcement activities across the country. Shortly after September 11, 2001, he was temporarily assigned to duty stations along the northern border. While at a station in the northeast, an academy classmate and Sam led an entire Border Patrol Sector in apprehensions after only a four-month tour.

After returning to his duty station, Sam was selected for several collateral duties. The first was to become a member of the upstart Yuma Sector Honor Guard, where he has served as Rifle Team Commander since its conception. Later Sam became a Border Patrol Recruiter, charged with providing information and assistance to possible applicants. In late 2003, he was selected to attend the Border Patrol National Canine Facility in El Paso, TX, to become certified as a canine handler. On December 12, 2003, Sam Briggs and his partner, “Jack”, graduated the academy and have been working together since then.

During his time as a field agent, Sam has been responsible for the arrest of several thousand illegal aliens and criminal individuals. When asked about his most memorable moments as an agent, he noted two events that came to mind. The first was the arrest of a career alien smuggler along with 43 smuggled aliens. Sam said it was especially gratifying because he had arrested this smuggler once before but was unable to meet certain guidelines for prosecution. His most memorable moment of all was the arrest of a drug smuggler at a checkpoint. This particular smuggler was transporting more than 1 ½ tons of marijuana (valued at nearly $2.5 million). Sam arrested this individual and seized the marijuana, and also, arrested the co-conspirators and seized the drug smuggler’s personal vehicle. Sam received a promotion in November 2006 to Supervisory Border Patrol Agent, (a position akin to watch commander), and as such, bears responsibility for an entire shift of agents. Sam reports that he had to give back his canine partner, Jack, when he was promoted to this position, with whom he had worked since 2003.

Michael Halter graduated from Northwestern State University in 2006 with honors. Since leaving N.S.U., Michael, a 2nd Lieutenant, has been extremely busy, first going to Ft. Benning, Georgia, where he completed the Infantry School in the United States Army and then, to Ft. Gordon, Georgia, to complete the Signal School. During his time in Ft. Benning, Michael spent week after week in the field, mastering urban tactics in a simulated war zone. The atmosphere at Ft. Gordon was less physically intensive, as Michael studied satellite communications and information systems management, among other technical studies.

While at Ft. Gordon, Michael was the sponsor for international officers; showing them American culture and helping them understand and translate paperwork. Those officers included individuals from numerous countries including among others, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Romania, South America, Africa, and Taiwan. Michael felt he learned as much as he taught and the food was excellent!

Michael currently serves in Fort Huachuca, Arizona and loves it. He is responsible for a platoon of 38 soldiers with a deployment date to Iraq around September. Since Michael traveled to Arizona, his time is filled with military matters and free time is seldom. He has taken some weekend trips to places like Las Vegas and San Diego. He manages also to work on an MBA in International Business. Once that is completed, Michael will go to law school. He is as usual motivated and driven while being still one of the nicest young men you could ever have the honor of meeting.

The Department of Criminal Justice believes that Sam Briggs and Lt. Michael Halter have been credits to their professions and to Northwestern State University, and both are truly deserving of the Criminal Justice Distinguished Alumni Award for the year 2007.

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Distinguished Alumni - 2007