Lt. sharpens skills at FBI academy in Va. BY DAN NEWMAN Staff Writer MIDDLETOWN - Being a lifelong resident of Middletown, you get used to a few things, such as Route 35 traffic and listening about how the Town Center will be finally be built. Craig Weber decided to step away for a few weeks. The township police lieutenant took the opportunity to go to Quantico, Va., and take part in the FBI National Academy program, which he graduated from a few weeks ago. The 10-week program is designed to include classroom work and physical training. Weber was originally asked by Chief Robert Oches to participate. "He [Oches] thought it'd be a good idea, and he was right," Weber said. "Just meeting some of the people that I did made the experience absolutely worthwhile. My roommate was a helicopter pilot from Texas and a guy down the hall from us was a major in the Bolivian military." Weber said the academic focus was mostly on items such as contemporary issues, law enforcement, and organizational communications. He said that it wasn't tough to keep up with the rigorous demands in the classroom because he is involved with graduate studies at Monmouth University in West Long Branch. "We are very proud of Lt. Weber for graduating from the internationally recognized FBI National Training Academy Program," township Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger said. "His efforts to continue his education demonstrate that he is a dedicated professional who cares deeply about protecting and serving Middletown to the very best of his ability."