Influential Woman · Intelligence

Mary Thomas

Supervisory Intelligence Analyst, Virginia State Police

Richmond , VA

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Bachelor's in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Strategic Intelligence from Liberty University (2019) Cert Certified Gang Specialist Member International Association of Crime Analysts (IACA) Member Virginia Crime Analysis Network (VCAN) Member National Association of Crime Analysts Member Gang Investigators Association

Her Story

About Mary

I started my career in law enforcement nearly 20 years ago with the Sheriff's Office, where I began part-time doing administrative work before becoming full-time. I worked with the Internal Affairs Office for a while, and then I helped start an intelligence unit for the Sheriff's Office that focused on correctional intelligence involving drugs and gangs. After 15 years there, I was looking for a full-time analyst position, but they didn't have room in the budget, so I started looking elsewhere. I joined the Virginia State Police 3 years ago as a Senior Intelligence Analyst for the Fusion Center, and now I serve as the Supervisory Intelligence Analyst, supervising 3 shifts totaling 16 people. We basically do intelligence for the state of Virginia, but we also get international intelligence and threats to life. We handle a bunch of different things that we triage to see what's going to be on a need-to-know basis, and if it has to go to a special unit or if we need to get the local police involved. I got involved in law enforcement because of my father, who was a Richmond City police officer and detective for 36 years. I knew I wasn't really suited for police work, but intelligence was always something that was interesting to me. It's worked out for the best because I'm really pleased with the State Police, and it's just been a really good fit for me.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Mary

01What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

I'd like to see them develop a program management position for the watch unit, because it is one of the largest analytical units for the Fusion Center. Right now we have one program manager that supervises the gang unit, the human trafficking unit, the watch unit, and the counterterrorism unit, and he's kind of stretched fairly thin. Because all of these units have kind of built out, we've been talking about possibly getting a program manager position, which would be the next level up from what I'm doing as a civilian working for a law enforcement agency. I'd like to see them develop that program manager position for the watch unit, and that's where I'd like to see myself within the next 5 years.

02What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

I'm definitely a proponent of lifelong learning, because there's just always something you can learn from somebody. Even though you've been in the field for a while or you've seen a lot of different things and have a lot of experience, I just think there's always something you can learn. I also believe in finishing what you start and showing others that you can complete anything, even if you get older. I wanted to show my sons that you can still accomplish your goals. I promised myself I would go back to school and finish before my son graduated, and I actually finished in May of 2019, and my son graduated in June of 2019. I wanted to show them that you want to finish what you start and that you can complete anything. I think it's important to be an example to others that even if you worked hard and had to go through some struggles and things, you can still accomplish anything and continue to grow.

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