Former FBI agent given humanitarian award
by JESSICA L. FINCH

George A. Lankes

George A. Lankes spent 24 years of his life as a special agent with the FBI. Traveling across country, he put his efforts into special assignments, trying to find the answers to case after case.

The decision to retire from the FBI by no means meant Lankes had retired. He went on to serve as a professor at Erie Community College for 17 years, training future police officers.

He achieved his doctorate through Sarasota University upon completing his 345-page dissertation about training police officers in New York. The document is now in the Library of Congress.

Lankes, 93, also volunteers at Beechwood Continuing Care, where he spends time talking with residents who share their own stories.

His entire professional career was dedicated to helping other people. During those years he served on the Suicide Prevention and Crises Services Board of Directors from 1971-79 and was chairman from 1980-83 and was on the Community Services Board for the Erie County Department of Mental Health, serving as chairperson from 1982-84.

Lankes also served as a permanent deacon until 1998 at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Buffalo. Today, he continues to be available as a reservist deacon at St. Pius X Parish.

As a result of his efforts, Lankes was recognized this past month by the Former Agents of the FBI Foundation's 2006 Humanitarian Service Award for the Northeast Region. Only six other former agents from the nation were honored. Lankes said he was very surprised by the honor.

Lankes, accompanied by his sister, traveled to New York City, for the national convention. He attended a discussion on the current problems affecting the FBI and also took time to tour the city that he watched change throughout his career. During a business meeting he was presented with his award, along with $2,000 to be used for a charity of his choice.

He has chosen to divide the money evenly between the Western New York chapters of the Alzheimer's Association and the Autism Society.

"The date of the presentation hasn't been decided, but I want to get the checks to them as soon as I can," he said.

Lankes' wife, Alma, passed away in 2003 after 58 years of marriage. She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Lankes said he received a lot of support from the Alzheimer's Association on how to handle being the caregiver for someone dealing with the disease.

"The association was very helpful; they gave me information that I don't know where else I could have gotten it from," he said, adding that he was thankful his wife's condition was not severe, and be hopes the money will help someone else dealing with Alzheimer's.

His other choice, the Autism Society, was the result of being blessed with seven healthy, intelligent children, because not every family is as lucky. Lankes said he and his wife would see families dealing with an autistic child, and their hearts would go out to them.

"Growing up, they didn't know a lot about the disease; it wasn't being diagnosed until 1945," Lankes said, and now he wants to help the organization, which is run by volunteers. "(The Autism Society) do an excellent job helping."

Looking back, Lankes said his career with the FBI all started with a friend suggesting he apply. He said he basically went in for the application in 1941 to appease her, and in 1942, he started his training.

From Washington, D.C., to Savannah, Ga., and Durham, N.C., to Detroit, Lankes spent only a few months to a couple of years in each place. He served as a special agent, working from a grade nine to 13.

During his four years in Detroit he investigated industrial sabotage. As World War II was taking place on the other side of the globe, Lankes would investigate tanks, airplanes, and other equipment that failed in the field to see if the problem had happened in manufacturing or if sabotage was involved.

Born and raised in Western New York, he decided after some years in the FBI that he wanted to return to Buffalo. So he talked to J. Edgar Hoover, former head of the FBI, about transferring, and it was permitted.

He found his calling in training police officers in the eight local counties, a responsibility he held for more than 20 years. His techniques in educating the men was noticed, leading to the offer from ECC. Lankes put his years of experience into his dissertation.

"It was rewarding to see the results, the improvements in those men," he said, adding that at first they didn't use their brains.