Dr. Greg Vecchi
When criminal justice students are mulling over career choices, their go-to professor for all things Federal Bureau of Investigation is Dr. Greg Vecchi, assistant professor of criminal justice. Missouri Western hired Dr. Vecchi in 2016, who brought a background of working 18 years for the FBI.
His last position with the FBI was special agent in Rapid City, South Dakota, where he conducted field hostage negotiations and investigated violent crimes and organized crime. That position, which he held for three years, also included serving as a consultant for security personnel working the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally that draws more than 100,000 visitors for the 10-day event.
Prior to that position, he worked at FBI headquarters in Virginia as a Unit Chief-Supervisory Special Agent in the Behavioral Science Unit. He said students love to hear about those experiences with behavior analysis and criminal profiling. “There’s a method to using behavior and manipulating behavior in order to catch a guy, and that fascinates students.”
In 2003 and 2004, he supervised FBI Rapid Deployment Teams that respond to acts of terrorism, a stint that included spending several months in Iraq.
When he retired from the FBI, Dr. Vecchi started a consulting firm that conducts threat assessments for potential violence in workplaces and schools, behavior analysis, and firearms and combatants. He currently holds a U.S. Government Top Secret Security Clearance with credentials as a U.S. Department of Defense Contract Investigator.
He also recently passed the Peace Officer’s Standards and Training (POST) test and is a reserve deputy for Buchanan and Clinton counties.
Dr. Vecchi had taught college courses throughout his law enforcement career, so coming to Missouri Western wasn’t a big stretch. “Teaching keeps me on my game, it makes me grow and become better,” he said. “Missouri Western wanted someone with practical experience and a federal background, so it was a good fit for me.”
Most of his Missouri Western students want a career in law enforcement, and Dr. Vecchi is very happy to share information with them, making sure they realize that their careers won’t be like the television shows “NCIS” or “CSI.”
“The students are motivated. I want to help mentor them and teach them. I like to keep it real for them.”
This past spring, his courses included Modern Police Procedures, Criminal Justice Concepts and Issues, and Administration and Planning. He also taught several sessions in the University’s Law Enforcement Academy, which he said was a big draw for the Missouri Western position.
Several students have taken independent research courses with Dr. Vecchi, including one where they learn to role play by manifesting mental health disorders or criminal pathologies. Those students then travel with him when he conducts training exercises for law enforcement agencies throughout the region. The bonus, he says, is that the students have the opportunity to network with potential employers.
Students also role played as offenders so a probation class on campus could conduct practice interviews.
Dr. Vecchi, a native of Des Moines, joined the Army after graduating from high school so the GI Bill could pay for his college. He says his goal was always to join the FBI ever since he watched the television show “Mission Impossible” and James Bond movies as a kid. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Management/Human Resources from Park College (now Park University) in Parkville, Missouri, a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from The University of Alabama and a Ph.D in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from Nova Southeastern University in Florida.
“I have very high expectations of my students,” Dr. Vecchi said. “I want the right people to go into law enforcement. You don’t belong if your heart’s not in it.”