FBI Director Kash Patel engages with Liberty University students during law enforcement roundtable

FBI Director Kash Patel joined local law enforcement agencies and commonwealth attorneys from Lynchburg and the surrounding area, along with U.S. Rep. John McGuire (VA-5th District), on Liberty University’s campus on Wednesday to discuss with students how federal, state, and local agencies can work together to combat crime.

The Law Enforcement Leadership & Student Roundtable brought students from across the university together in the Montview Student Union, Alumni Ballroom. They asked questions about pursuing careers in public service, the evolving challenges facing law enforcement professionals, and how the next generation can address emerging threats to public safety.

“It is a team lift,” Patel said. “Nothing we do can be done by one agency alone, and some of the discussion we are looking forward to is engaging with our next generation of leadership — you all, here at this school. (Liberty) is a great place because you guys care so much about this country; you have so much love for our nation. … It’s incumbent upon us to not just do our mission collectively together but also to come in and meet with you all and talk to you all every chance we get. I’m blessed to be able to do this surrounded by an amazing team.”

Before opening the floor for questions, McGuire highlighted that drug overdose deaths, murder rates, and violent crimes have drastically decreased over the last 20 months.

“My core mission is I want all Americans to be able to live, work, and raise their families in peace, and all of you here are an important part of that success,” McGuire said, noting that in August alone, Operation United Resolve — which brought together 21 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in the Lynchburg area — resulted in 140 fugitive arrests, the execution of 316 warrants, and the seizure of illegal firearms, deadly narcotics, and other dangerous contraband.

School of Law 3L Jacob Slusser asked Patel how prosecutors can protect people while ensuring they abide by constitutional and evidentiary standards considering the evolution of AI-generated exploitative materials.

“It was an absolute honor to hear from Director Patel and all of the other gathered guests,” Slusser said. “As someone who wants to go be a prosecutor for these specific types of crimes, it’s going to be very interesting to see how the law evolves with AI-generated exploitation materials against children, because I know that’s something that I will end up prosecuting.”

2L Lydia Moody, who asked Patel about ways young prosecutors can be effective when working with investigators in complex cases, said participating in the Q&A segment of the event was “an honor.”

“The faculty in (Liberty Law) are so encouraging of us to take advantage of these opportunities,” Moody said. “I’m just so thankful to be able to come to these, even if it’s just asking a simple question. … It was such an honor that (Patel) answered my question. Especially for me, wanting to go into either prosecution or criminal law, I think it’s really important to understand how the whole system works.”

Slusser said the roundtable event was a humbling experience and that Patel’s willingness to engage with students like him speaks to the quality of Liberty’s education.

“Growing up (in nearby Bedford County), I took it for granted how special this place truly is,” Slusser said. “It’s amazing to hear a congressman and the Director of the FBI give praise for how important Liberty University is. … It’s an incredible feeling to know that we are a special university that is blessed by the Lord and that that is being seen by all levels of government, from city sheriffs all the way to the Director of the FBI.”