SCSO receives $57K grant for de-escalation training

The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office is the recipient of a Training Grant.

According to Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley, his office has been awarded a $57,464 grant to offer deputies simulated scenarios to bolster their de-escalation and defensive tactics knowledge, skillset and philosophy.

Shirley says the sheriff’s office was one of 63 agencies statewide that received this first-ever, 100 percent grant funding, from Governor Brian Kemp.

The $57,000 grant will be administered through Georgia’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.

The funding, which must be used for use of force or de-escalation training, is available from June 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022.

Shirley says the training will be under the direction of Stephens County Sheriff’s Office of Professional Standards Commander Lieutenant Steven Stewart.

He says their plans are to use the funding for realistic live action scenario-based training that furthers the agency’s priority of de-escalation training and defensive tactics, while using only the minimal necessary amount of force possible.

Shirley adds that while they already have classroom and online training annually, this grant will provide a more hands-on approach by funding law enforcement specific training equipment.

This setup will give deputies instantaneous feedback to be complimented by instructor coaching to help officers improve their skills and performance.

The advance defensive tactics training, according to Shirley, will teach deputies more techniques to restrain a person, if necessary, and will less likely cause injury to the deputy or the individual.