The Department of Criminal Justice, along with Alpha Phi Sigma, will provide students with the opportunity to hear Charles Dorsey, retired FBI agent and criminal profiler, speak about the realities of his career tonight at 6:30 in room 214 Farrah Hall.
Dorsey, a Tuscaloosa resident, worked with the FBI for 25 years after graduating from the Capstone in 1975. He retired in December.
During his career, Dorsey handled several well-known cases, such as those involving JonBenet Ramsey, Elizabeth Smart, Melissa Brannen and Jessica Lunsford, who were all victims of abduction.
In addition to abduction cases, Dorsey has international anti-terrorism experience in Pakistan and Cuba.
Mark Lanier, chair of the Department of Criminal Justice, said he chose Dorsey as a speaker because of his familiarity with the University and his interesting career.
“He’s got a fascinating background and a ton of experience dealing with topics that many criminal justice students find fascinating,” Lanier said.
Born and raised just outside of Birmingham, Dorsey received a bachelor’s degree in biology and minors in chemistry and math. He began his career with the FBI immediately following graduation.
“The FBI was recruiting on campus my senior year,” Dorsey said. “With my degrees in biology and chemistry, a position in the FBI Laboratory allowed me to utilize my science degree as well as being involved in law enforcement, another of my interests.”
Dorsey’s career in the FBI spanned several positions, as well as varied environments.
“[I spent] eight years as a street agent in the FBI’s Washington Field Office, 13 years as a criminal profiler and three years as the Senior Resident Agent in the FBI’s Tuscaloosa Resident Agency,” Dorsey said.
After retiring from the Bureau at the end of 2010, Dorsey remained in Tuscaloosa.
“I decided to retire here due to the many opportunities available within a University environment,” he said.
These opportunities include speaking to current criminal justice students about his experiences and profession. Dorsey said he plans to focus tonight’s lecture on the process of profiling an unknown offender in a criminal investigation – something he said he believes is very different than what is shown on TV.
“I feel the criminal justice students need to hear some of the realities of being an FBI profiler,” he said.
According to Lanier, Dorsey is the fourth speaker to speak to the department this school year and is expected to draw a diverse crowd. Lanier said he hopes students of all backgrounds will fill up the 186-seat lecture hall.
“I’ve had a lot of interest from a lot of different departments about this talk,” Lanier said. “I just hope we have enough seats.”
