Last night, as part of the ongoing training and community engagement initiative, the Sheriff’s Citizens Academy in Sevier County presented Night Five, focusing on three key components: the Office of Community Relations, SRO Division, and CRASE training. Sgt. Megan Watts led the educational evening which featured Reserve Deputy Randy Wampler and Community Outreach Coordinator Kim Loveday. They introduced participants to a plethora of programs that the Sheriff’s Office offers the local populace, as reported by Sevier County Sheriff's Office's Facebook post.
The attendees then had the chance to quickly explore a day in the life of a School Resource Officer (SRO). The seminar took place at Northview Intermediate School and featured Sgt. Jimmy Huddleston, SRO Travis Helton, SRO Christopher Keefer, and SRO Kevin Daniels, who delineated the nuances of their daily tasks. "Participants were enlightened about the daily activities our SRO’s do during a typical school day," the post detailed, before transitioning to a more hands-on segment of the evening.
CRASE—Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events—was the final yet critical topic of the night. Facilitated by Sgt. Huddleston, this course drew from the Avoid, Deny, Defend (ADD) strategy developed by ALERRT in 2004, which coaches civilians in effectively managing active shooter scenarios. The course attention to topics such as the history and patterns of active shooter events, options for civilian response, medical considerations, and the framework for conducting safety drills.
A segment of the evening's instruction was expressly reserved for expressing gratitude to Northview Intermediate School, which hosted the event. "A special thank you to Northview Intermediate School for allowing us to use their school for the night!" conveyed the Sheriff's Office in their social media post. This academy session truly exemplified the Sheriff's Office commitment to not just enforce, but also to actively engage and educate the community it serves on matters of safety and preparedness.
