Heroes Among Us 2023

A special publication by The Newnan Times-Herald

Heroes Among Us

A salute to Coweta County First Responders

2 — The Newnan Times-Herald — Heroes Among Us

HEROES 2023

Compassion BEHIND BARS Correctional nurses provide more than medical care

Breanna Greene and Barbara Walker look over new medical equipment at the nurse’s desk.

BY SHANNON POTEET

PHOTOS BY REBECCA LEFTWICH

Breaks are few and far between for the Coweta County Jail’s busy medical staff, but pausing for a quick group photo are front, Infirmary Division Assistant Director Barbara Walker; and back, from left, LPN Jonathan Tinney, Infirmary Division Director Breana Greene and LPN Priscilla Shirley.

Jail isn’t usually a place associated with hope or compassion. But for more than 40 0 inmates in the Coweta County Jail, that’s exactly what the nurses in the inf irmar y division aim to provide.

T h e p a t i e nt s d o n o t c o m e i n voluntarily.

“They are not the happiest. They don’t want to be here,” Infirmary Division Director Breana Greene said. “But you treat them the way you want to be treated.”

She has worked at the jail for more tha n a decade a nd ha s ser ved a s division director for the past six.

T he C owet a C ou nt y S he r i f f ’s Depar tment oversees the jail and its operations. Ensuring inmates are treated fairly and receive the care they need is a mission the department takes seriously.

Greene oversees both county and contract worker s . The in f ir ma r y team includes a medical director, nurse practitioner, doctors and 12 nurses.

The inf ir ma r y sta f f rev iews a ll medical screenings taken during the intake process. This includes information about chronic medica l or

mental health issues, Greene said.

Verifying health records and connecting with inmates to determine what is really going on with them can be difficult, she said – they are not always forthcoming at first. And most do not arrive with their medical records in hand, making the task harder.

Compassion and care The intake process is designed to ensure all inmates receive the medical care they need, but it can also be the first time a person receives a diagnosis.

“A lot of them don’t have access to medical care,” Greene said.

This can be because they have no health insurance, live in pover ty or struggle with other issues that prevent them from being treated by medical professionals.

Those who struggle with mental health or addiction can be diagnosed when the psychiatrist sees them, she said.

Once patients are on the appropriate medications, they often begin to improve, and they also have access

NURSES • 3

Heroes Among Us — The Newnan Times-Herald — 3

HEROES 2023

We salute our hometown heroes for their continued efforts to keep our schools safe. Thank you!

Barbara Walker fields a phone call at the Coweta County Jail.

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From page 2 to counseling services. “ They get sober here,” Greene said. “When you get to know them sober, you get to know their dreams and hopes and aspirations.”

It is a side of people Greene and Infirmary Division Assistant Director Barbara Walker say they enjoy seeing. “ What I love the most is when we actually reach that one person,” Walker said. “A lot of times it’s not even when they are incarcerated – it’s when I see them out in the community and see them doing better.”

Knowing people can succeed after their time in jail is what continues to drive Walker to provide the best care she can, she said. “ They a r e l i ke , ‘ I s aw you i n the jail, Miss Barbara. You really encouraged me, tha n k you so much,’” Walker said.

It is a reminder of why she became a nurse, but the story doesn’t always have a happy ending.

“Sometimes they get off the drugs a nd have h ig h a spirations about how they are going to change their lives – but then they come back, and they are a different person, addicted

again or not on their medication,” Walker said.

It is a heartbreaking reality for the nurses who work so hard to help instill hope and resilience in the population they serve.

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Sons and daughters “ You hear people say ‘ they’ are coming in from the surrounding cities, but ‘they’ are actually the sons and daughters of this county that are addicted to drugs and have mental health issues,” Walker said.

Walker said she wants people to understand community members are the ones suffering, not outsiders.

“People distance themselves from opioid addiction and mental health issues in our backyard,” she said.

“You get to know them without the addiction; you get to know who they are. You cheer for them every time.”

In addition to substance abuse issues, Greene and Walker say they have seen a dramatic increa se in ment a l hea lth condition s a mon g inmates.

Walker said a lack of resources in the community, and adult children living at home with mental health issues their families don’t know how to handle, increases the problem.

NURSES • 4

GEORGIA • CITY OF HOMES

4 — The Newnan Times-Herald — Heroes Among Us

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HEROES 2023

What I love the most is when we actually reach that one person. A lot of times it’s not even when they are incarcerated – it’s when I see them out in the community and see them doing better.

-Barbara Walker

, a nd it look s prom ising,” Greene said.

Challenges after release

Jonathan Tinney, an LPN at the Coweta County Jail, prepares to work on medical records.

NURSES From page 3 “ When f a m i l ie s h ave is sue s , the police are called, and the families think this will expedite them getting the care they need. It doesn’t,” she said. “They just … go to jail.”

It can of ten ma ke it harder for people to receive the services they need, Greene said.

I n m at e s str u g g l i n g w ith mental health issues are put on a list so state hospitals can review their files and determine if they will take them

in, she said.

“But because they are in jail and in a structured environment, instead of the streets or ER, they often get waitlisted,” Greene said. “In reality, they just need that higher level of care that only a mental health hospital can provide.”

Still, she and her staff say they do the best they can with the options ava ilable to them a nd hope more help b e c ome s av a i l able th rou g h other avenues for the people they serve.

“There are currently judges who are attempting to improve services and outcomes for that demographic

Greene said there also is a need for better discharge planning when an inmate is released from custody.

While inca rcerated, inmates receive medica l ca re, counseling and medication. At release, they are given a two-week supply of their medications and told they need to follow up with a doctor. “ Un for t u n at ely, s ome of t hem can’t do that,” Greene said. “They don’t have f unds or insurance, or even a way to get there, and they can’t continue their medications.”

This leads to additional mental health issues and recidivism.

G r e ene s a id she i s lo ok i n g at developing deeper relationships with Coweta Cares, the Coweta Samarit a n Cl i n ic a nd C owet a FORCE to combat those challenges and to reduce the number of people who end up back in jail.

“The community is great about c o m i n g i n a n d s up p o r t i n g u s ,” Wa l k e r s a i d . “A n d w e h av e s o many organizations willing to help others.”

Goodwill currently offers training to women incarcerated at the C oweta C ounty ja il, designed to equip them for employment af ter release. It is one of several programs offered locally to help inmates gain the necessary tools, skills and access to resources that are aimed at reducing the likelihood of them reoffending. Those ser v ices have become more cr ucia l tha n ever a s shor tterm sentences began to lengthen

”

because of challenges arising from the pandemic.

“We used to see inmates here for a year or less, (and) now they can be here for three or four years,” Walker said. “They are backed up due to cour t issues during COV ID, and delays are just getting worse.”

Reducing the number of repeat offenders helps prevent the backlog from growing, she said.

Expanding services A new expansion is underway at the Coweta County Jail. Once finished, it will add more than 31,000 square feet and another 206 beds.

It will also include an infirmary.

With the new space, Greene said she will be looking for additional staff.

She plans to begin hiring additional LPNs and medical assistants in November and December.

For Greene, the ideal candidate will be firm, fair and compassionate, she said.

While they say they understand a career as a correctional nurse is not for ever yone, for Greene and Walker, the rewards far outweigh any negatives.

“We are safer here than they are at the hospital,” Walker said. “(Hospital nurses) go in alone. We always have an officer with us.”

Greene said she and her staff love what they do, and they try to show it in the way they treat their patients.

Their mission is to provide hope in an often hopeless situation, Greene said, and are committed to continuing to provide the best care possible for those who find themselves inside the walls of the Coweta County Jail.

Heroes Among Us — The Newnan Times-Herald — 5

HEROES 2023

Local task force working to hold traffickers accountable accountable

BY LAURA CAMPER In June, a sex sting operation ended with the arrest of one human trafficker and the rescue of five women from the trafficker’s grasp.

One other possible trafficker is still in law enforcement’s sights.

A task force that is part of Coweta County’s Crime Suppression Unit has quietly been working to put human traffickers working in Coweta County behind bars.

“It’s prevalent,” Inv. Jessica Noles said of sex trafficking in the county.

The task force, which was begun about five years ago, has focused its attention on human sex trafficking for about a year now, Noles said. She joined the unit as an undercover narcotics officer in September 2022.

But her seven years of experience working in law enforcement drew her to sex trafficking investigations, and she got the go-ahead to run with it, Noles said.

“When I was at my previous job, I worked special victims crimes with kids,” Noles said. “A lot of the work I did involved domestic violence, which kind of runs hand in hand with human trafficking.”

The means that human traffickers use to control their victims are similar to those used by abusers. According to a 2017 post on the National Network to End Domestic Violence website, there is an intersection in domestic violence and human trafficking.

“It is important to recognize that human trafficking and

domestic violence don’t occur in silos,” the website states.

“There is a marked overlap in the pattern of behaviors that both abusers and human traffickers use to exert power and control over a victim.”

Human trafficking defined Human trafficking by definition is force, fraud and coercion, Noles said. The victims can be forced into labor, sex and – in some countries – organ harvesting. It can involve women, children and men.

A c c or d i n g t o t he U. S .

Department of State website, an estimated 27.6 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking.

“In the U. S., traffickers compel victims to engage in commercial sex and to work in both legal and illicit industries and sectors, including in hospitality, traveling sales crews, agriculture, janitorial services, construction, landscaping, restaurants, factories, care for persons with disabilities, salon services, massage parlors, retail services, fairs and carnivals, peddling and begging, drug smuggling and distribution, religious institutions, child care and domestic work,” the website states.

In 2021 alone, the National Human Trafficking Hotline identif ied 10, 3 6 0 cases of hu m a n tr a f f ick i n g w ith 16,710 victims. Of those 7,499 involved sex, 1,066 involved labor and 400 involved both.

The Coweta County task force is focused on sex traff ick i n g , N ole s s a id . A nd

although many people have heard of children forced into sex trafficking, adults make up the majority of those trafficked. According to statistics collected by the Human Trafficking Hotline, 2,365 of the 2021 victims were minors and 6,642 were adults.

“The adults in human trafficking are kind of the forgotten population,” Noles said.

Changing attitudes It's taken a long time for law enforcement to recognize the crime of human trafficking, Noles said. It used to be that a prostitute was viewed as the problem. She was arrested and that was the end of it. But perspectives on the crime have changed, Noles said.

“Fortunately, there’s trainings out there that are starting to focus on, ‘Hey, look at the bigger picture. There’s a guy out there that’s making tons of money off of these females,’” Noles said. “These females are being put through the worst circumsta nces possible a s prostitutes, yes. But there is a male that’s profiting.”

That shift has allowed law enforcement to see the women as victims and not perpetrators of crime.

“Until you start focusing on the victims and trying to get them help, and really centering your approach on them, you’re not going to find the traffickers,” Noles said. “They’re not going to trust you. They’re not going to open up.”

Noles put together a questionnaire that the intake officer asks every woman brought into the jail, said Sgt. Toby

Nix, public information officer for the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office. It includes questions like whether she gets to keep the money she earns, whether she is forced to perform sex acts for money and if her ID is withheld from her.

“Based on her answers, if that leads them to believe she may be a victim of trafficking, they contact (Noles),” Nix said. “(Noles) comes up, and she goes forward with that inmate.”

Nix said he believes Coweta County is the first agency in the state to implement the interview, and it caught Gov. Brian Kemp’s attention.

Georgia’s efforts to stop sex trafficking Kemp, along with his wife, Marty Kemp, has made human trafficking a central issue in his campaigns. He has championed several bills that target human traffickers and protect the women being trafficked.

Part of the reason may be that Atlanta, with its busy international airport and easy access to interstates, is widely considered a hub of sex trafficking. Shared Hope International, which grades states on their laws and policies to deal with child and youth sex trafficking each year, gave Georgia an F overall in 2022.

The state received a B in criminal provisions (15.5 out of 17.5 available points) and a C for access to justice for victims (11 out of 15 available points). But in prevention and training, identification and response to victims, care for victims, and tools for a vic-

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tim-centered criminal justice response, it scored Fs. Out of a total of 100 available points, the state was awarded 49.

That’s up one point from the 2021 report card.

In Coweta County, with the new questionnaire added to protocol, two women have been identified as sex trafficking victims since May, Noles said. That’s in addition to the five women rescued in the May 31-June 1 sting operation, she said. The women were paired with local advocates from Frontline Response, Noles added.

Once a victim is identified, an advocate will try to get her into a safe house, where she can receive therapy and rehabilitation services to overcome the trauma that she has experienced, Noles said.

“I wish there was a fix-all,” Noles said. “I think the biggest thing that we’re kind of focusing on, and (what) has shown to be the most beneficial to us, has been the proactive measures.”

6 — The Newnan Times-Herald — Heroes Among Us

HEROES 2023

NPD: Presence, networking and education key for battling gangs

BY CLAY NEELY In 2014, Newnan’s underground gang culture broke the surface after three people were shot in a single day – two of them fatally.

O ve r t h e n e x t s e ve r a l ye a r s , authorities determined several other hom icide s i n the cit y a l s o were gang-related.

Wh i le g a n g-rel at e d hom icide s may have subsided in the last few years, the next wave of gang members is certainly making their presence known in Coweta County, law enforcement officials say.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation Gang Task Force deploys agents across the state to try to cut down on gang growth and crime. One of those agents is Sgt. Victor McPhie, who ha s been investigating ga ng activity in Coweta for more than a decade. Guns still are a priority, and obtaining them is bumping numbers in specific types of crime. “ The younger generation is focused on firearm possession coming from entering autos,” McPhie said.

The re a s on? G a n g s a re uti l i zing juveniles to steal firearms. Last summer, Coweta County saw a rash of entering autos and subsequent arrests involving minors, reflecting a more widespread trend of the same types of crimes.

Recent legislation signed into law

by Gov. Brian Kemp increases penalties for anyone recruiting a minor into a gang.

The bill requires judges to impose pr ison sentence s of at le a st f ive years on those convicted of recruiting gang members. It also mandates tougher penalties for recruiting to a gang anyone under age 17 or anyone with a disability, requiring at least a 10-year sentence for those infractions.

PHOTO BY CLAY NEELY

Gang-related graffiti has remained on the Dodson Street bridge for years despite requests to paint over it.

"K ids a re bein g recr uited now when they're in middle school, in elementary school. This is not a high school problem," said Kemp, who made the issue one of his signature platforms.

According to the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, in fiscal year 2022, the average daily population in the state’s Regional Youth Detention Centers was around 736, with another 233 juvenile offenders in its Youth Development Campuses.

Authorities say 30 percent of the population in RYDCs and 51 perc ent of the p opu lation i n Y D C s are suspected or known to be gang affiliated.

“Gangs know that if they recruit children young enough, their penalties are usually a slap on the wrist and probation, and they’ll be right back out on the street, unlike someone older who would face serious prison time,” McPhie said.

Gangs aren’t just a Newnan problem – they’re a G eorgia problem.

The G eorg ia G a ng I nvestigators A ssociation estimates more tha n 1,0 0 0 gangs cur rently operate in Metro Atlanta. Investigators connect those gangs to more than 70 percent of crime committed in the metro area. “ New na n’s not doin g a ny th in g wrong,” Newnan Police Chief Brent

Blankenship said. “There are gangs in almost every county in Georgia now.”

Making connections Much l i ke law en forcement , gangs thrive on sharing intel and networking.

“When convicted gang members go to prison, they keep building connections and often are still just as involved from the inside,” Blankenship said.

Authorities say the 2018 murder of 19-year-old Aubria Foster was a

GANGS • 7

Heroes Among Us — The Newnan Times-Herald — 7

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HEROES 2023

GANGS From page 6 direct result of deadly gang violence in Newnan. The three men who eventually were held accountable for her death were determined to be affiliated with area street gangs.

On Dec. 30, 2019, Foster was visiting a friend on Savannah Street in Newnan when the suspects began firing at the house from outside. She was struck by a bullet that pierced the exterior wall and later died at a local hospital.

She was laid to rest in Oak Hill Cemetery on Jan. 9, 2019, just 11 days before what would have been her 20th birthday.

Two of the men a c c ept e d ple a deals in exchange for their testimony against Denarvious Kizavion Carter – aka “Lil’ Baby” – who in 2022 pleaded guilty to multiple counts including felony murder a nd wa s sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

I nve s t i g at or s d i s c over e d C a rter wa s a member of a set of the “G-Shine” Bloods (aka the “Gangster Killer Bloods”) a criminal street

gang out of Manchester, Georgia.

“We had local gang members who networked with Meriwether gang members,” McPhie said. “We had to continuously work and network in other communities and agencies to further the case which led to those arrests. From our perspective, we did what we had to do, legally, and fought hard for the victim’s parents.

“But we have laws to follow; criminals don’t,” he added. “ We learn from them, along with our training, but our hands are often tied since we can’t be out there 24 hours a day.”

Last summer, the Newnan Police Department was recognized for its investigative work and its ongoing efforts to make Coweta County safer.

Its Drug and Vice Unit was the recipient of the 2023 Investigator of the Year Award for the Western Region of Georgia.

The awards recognize the total body of work the unit did throughout the year.

“A lot of our success comes from a w illingness to work w ith other agencies,” Blankenship said. “When something happens here, it bleeds over and leads us to contact other pl a c e s . ( It ’s a n) opp or t u n it y t o really make headway in many areas.”

Gangs know that if they recruit children young enough, their penalties are usually a slap on the wrist and probation, and they’ll be right back out on the street, unlike someone older who would face serious prison time.

Outreach and education Stay ing a head of ga ng activ ity requires a multifaceted and proactive approach, which is something Blankenship said he has prioritized.

The C om mu n it y C on ne ction Group is one opportunity the police depar tment is looking to connect with residents and family members of youths who could be particularly vulnerable to gang recruiters.

This group, composed of various community leaders, meets monthly in dif ferent area s of the city and includes a specific person from the com munity where the meeting is being held. The purpose is to share how the department conducts investigations, its organizational structure and anything else the community might want to know.

“We want to provide total transpa rency in a consensua l meeting between the police department and the public,” Blankenship said.

The group was inspired by an emergency meeting set up in the wake of the 2014 shootings. McPhie and Inv. Ryan Foles filled the Clay Wood Center with parents and residents concer ned about the uptick in ga n g

”

violence.

“The idea was to take our vests off and talk like people,” McPhie said.

“From a law enforcement standpoint, we don’t want to knock on the door and say a loved one has been murdered. It’s one of the hardest parts of our job.”

Working cases is one thing, but when dealing with juveniles, it’s about proactivity and education, McPhie said.

He’s met with parents, schools and groups and set up meetings trying to identify young people who could be going down the wrong path, he said. “ Where we’ve h ad i s sue s w ith gang activity, we met with kids and parents to show them how we can tell if a child could be connected to a gang,” McPhie said. “We show them social media posts, and specific colors of clothing their kids are wearing. Many parents had no idea that was happening.”

For more infor mation on gangs, visit The National Gang Center website at https://nationalgangcenter. ojp.gov or the Georgia Gang Investigators Association at https://ggia. net/.

8 — The Newnan Times-Herald — Heroes Among Us

HEROES 2023

PHOTO BY REBECCA LEFTWICH

With the classroom and fire tower mostly complete, crews are getting ready to do the asphalt work at the Newnan Fire Department’s new training facility on Greison Trail.

Work progressing on new fire training facility in Newnan NTH STAFF REPORTS Work is progressing on schedule for the Newnan Fire Department’s upgraded training facility, with a new, four-story burn building and classroom building “ver y close to b ei n g done ,” a c c ord i n g t o N F D Chief Stephen Brown.

The facility is located on 4 . 275 acres on Greison Tra il, but a f ter being in use for about 50 years was in dire need of upgrades.

The city broke ground on the facility – located on Greison Trail at the site of the former training facility – in March.

It ’s a project New na n of f icia ls have been talking about for several years, and it was included in the resolution approved by local voters for the 2019 special purpose local option sales tax.

Voters approved allocating $1.75 million for an upgraded fire training facility. In May 2022, Newnan City Council members approved increasing the budget for the project to $3.8 million.

With the two buildings nearing punchout-list status, crews are set to begin asphalt work that will include a truck-driving training course.

Worker s a re f i n ishe d w ith the draft pit, which will allow the NFD to do pump testing on all its engines, Brown said. Each fire engine’s pump equipment needs to be tested annually, but fire trucks have changed so much over the years that the old draft pit was obsolete.

“Back then, pumpers were 750 gallons per minute,” Brown said. “Now, they’re 2,000 gallons a minute. So we can’t pull enough water out of

there to test these trucks.”

The new classroom building will be la rge enough to host tra ining sessions for those outside the NFD, Brown said.

“We’ll be able to have more opportunities to bring in training classes from the state and host some classes there,” he said.

The facility will have two burn rooms — one like a kitchen and one like a bedroom. It will have a smoke simulator and will all be fired with n at u r a l g a s , wh ich do e sn’ t g ive off the carcinogens of other fires, Brown said. “ It ’s g o i n g t o b e n a t u r a l g a s instead of burning wood pallets,” Brown said. “We will be able to get the feel of firefighting but it will be cleaner and safer.”

He said the new facility will ben-

efit firefighters directly, not only in providing the mandated training and in motivating them to train, but in their safety. “ T h e r e ’s s o mu c h m o r e we ’r e going to be able to do with this than with what we had,” he said. “There are more places to rappel from, an attic simulator – it ’ll g ive these guys training with dragging hose, upstairs, downstairs, attics, standpipe connections, search and rescue … They’ll get their basics there for sure.”

Eve r y s h i f t h a s gone out a nd toured the facility as crews have finished parts, Brown said. “ The g uys a re re ady,” he s a id .

“They’re excited about it.”

The new facility is expected to open toward the end of 2023 or the first of 2024.

Heroes Among Us — The Newnan Times-Herald — 9

HEROES 2023

Mandatory overtime comes to an end at Coweta County Fire Rescue

BY CLAY NEELY

clay@newnan.com

When you work as hard as firefighters, it’s imperative you work just as smart.

Several years ago, Coweta County Fire Rescue found itself in a predicament. Fully staffing the department had become an issue.

Historically, fire departments had hundreds of applicants vying for a select number of spots. But those applications began to dwindle and some hard decisions needed to be made.

The arrival of COV ID-19 made recruiting even harder, as many firefighters left Coweta County to pursue careers in other jurisdictions without what had developed into mandatory overtime, according to Chief Robby Flanagan.

“We called it ‘The Great Resignation,’” he said.

But these issues weren’t exclusive to Coweta County. Nationwide, fire departments were struggling with recruiting and retention, problems the pandemic only exacerbated. As a result , ma ny depa r tments were forced to close stations.

With limited personnel, Flanagan and CCFR had to take a long look at what options were available to ensure the county remained covered.

Closing stations was an option no one wanted to have to consider.

“We had to look at our stations and determine what we’d do for coverage,” Flanagan said.

A morale killer Ultimately, a decision was made to

enact mandatory overtime – three days a month for each firefighter.

But the words “mandatory” and “ overtime” are typically synonymous with “morale killer.”

It was done for the well-being of the residents of Coweta County, but CCFR employees felt the brunt of it because they were losing muchneeded downtime with their families, Flanagan said.

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10 — The Newnan Times-Herald — Heroes Among Us

HEROES 2023

OVERTIME From page 9 “When you see what our guys see on a daily basis, working day after day can grind you down fast,” Flanagan said.

“When you tell an employee they have to work 30 percent more than they signed up for, they won’t be happy, and we lost a few more.”

Flanagan and Deputy Chief Greg Shinkle said they knew mandatory overtime couldn’t be viewed as a sustainable model, so they had to start thinking outside of the box in an effort to not only retain their valuable employees but to also find a way to recruit new candidates.

To start, they allowed personnel to swap mandatory overtime days. Shift commanders were asked to keep track.

“That really helped,” Flanagan said.

“It made them feel like they had a voice.”

In January 2022, CCFR held its first recruiting school with 25 candidates enrolled. Out of those 25, 18 graduated. A second class was held in November and netted similar results.

“It takes 10 months to train and get a firefighter online, but you have to factor in that someone may move or go somewhere else for more money,” Flanagan said.

“A nd once they come out training, we have additional training in the station. So, to get a fully functioning employee ready might take 14 months.”

Finding solutions In Coweta County, firefighters are expected not only to battle fires, but also to respond to car crashes, run medical calls and perform a variety of rescue efforts. However, not all firefighters feel the same calling for running medical calls as they do for battling a house fire or performing a rescue, Shinkle said.

“We looked at what we needed to staff an ambulance and fire trucks during that second recruit school,” Shinkle said. “We need paramedics.

They don’t want to respond to fires, but would rather be riding in an ambulance.”

PHOTO BY CLAY NEELY

Deputy Chief Greg Shinkle and Chief Robby Flanagan said they’re grateful to see mandatory overtime come to an end.

The role of advanced emergency medical technician is the level at which CCF R tra ins. EM TA personnel can do all the basic services expected by EMTs but are authorized to administer IVs and provide some medications.

Paramedics are advanced care certified; cleared to administer fluids, drugs and trachea tubes; and treat and monitor cardiac arrest.

S o Fl a n a ga n a nd Sh i n k le h ad an idea: What if they could recruit exclusively paramedic and EMTA personnel?

No other fire department had tried it before, Flanagan said.

“It stemmed from my career where I would do a 24-hour shift for fire and then 24 in an ambulance,” he said.

“With me knowing what kind of people ride in the ambulance, I felt we needed the best.”

County officials agreed.

“They ask a lot of questions, but if the plan makes sense, they’re receptive,” Flanagan said. “We now could say, if you’re EMT or paramedic and have no desire to battle fires, we’re hiring. As a result, we saw an influx of candidates.”

S o on , f i ref i g ht er me d ic s were

moved back to trucks, and EMT personnel were assigned exclusively to ambulance services.

“What we were doing wasn’t working, so this was something different and out of the box,” Flanagan said.

“It also opens new doors for paramedics who don’t have to train anyone.

We require the same hiring process and protocol tests, but now it means weeks not months.”

Having more EMTs doesn’t necessarily help the county’s ISO rating, Flanagan said, since 80 percent of their calls are for EMS, he’d rather have those people helping Coweta’s residents.

A company called the ISO (Insurance Services Office) creates ratings for fire departments and their surrounding communities. The ratings calculate how well-equipped fire departments are to put out fires in that community. The ISO provides this score, often called the "ISO fire score," to homeow ners insurance companies. “(CCFR) is the only department in the state of Georgia that you can be a paramedic or EMT and work in a firebased EMS,” Shingle said. “We’re the only one who can take people off the

street, enroll them in an EMTA class, and pay them to go online.”

As a result, CCFR has slowly whittled away at mandatory overtime this year. Last week, it was discontinued altogether.

Since coming aboard as fire chief two years ago, Flanagan said he feels like he ha s deter mined what the department really needed most.

“I wanted to rebuild trust,” he said.

“I want our team to know we’re working to improve staffing and give them their family time back.”

Lt. Taylor H. Nelms, firefighter and EMS union president, said the job of a firefighter and EMT is a special calling that requires a servant's heart and the need to put others before oneself.

He said he’s grateful to see the end of mandatory overtime and recognizes the sacrifices made by all personnel who chose to remain at CCFR despite the challenges.

“The last three years of successful operation throughout a nationwide staffing shortage and pandemic were only possible due to the sincere dedication and sacrifice made by each and every firefighter, EMT and paramedic of Coweta County Fire Rescue,” Nelms said.

Heroes Among Us — The Newnan Times-Herald — 11

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12 — The Newnan Times-Herald — Heroes Among Us

HEROES 2023

Senoia officer recognized for saving infant’s life

BY LAURA CAMPER In December, a young Senoia police officer responded to a horrific call — an infant was choking and not breathing. In March, that same officer will be recognized by the Senoia City Council and her home police department for likely saving the child’s life.

O n D e c . 19, 2 02 2 , ju st a f ter 11:30 a.m., officers from the Senoia Police Department including Officer Alexis Callaway, 23, and Sgt. Justin Forrester, responded to a call about a one-month-old infant who wasn’t breathing. Callaway has been working with children since she wa s 16 years old. She currently is a school resource officer at Coweta Charter Academy.

Anything to do with children pulls on her heartstrings, she said, and her adrenaline started kicking in immediately.

It may have been that adrenaline that sent her hurtling through the door of the home on Southridge in Senoia before anyone else, she said.

But it also made it hard to focus, Callaway said.

“Just tr y ing to ma inta in that composure and calmness on scene even though you may not be the most calm inside,” she said. “It’s chaotic. A lot of things go through your head, and you just start praying … don’t let this turn out bad.”

It was her training that let her know what to do next. She saw the baby in his grandmother’s arms unresponsive. She grabbed him, f lipped him over and began back thrusts to try and open his airway.

All the while, Sgt. Forrester was talking to the family, relaying the

information to the 911 operator a nd ta lk ing to Ca llaway a s she worked with the child.

In a few seconds, the baby began to spit up liquid that he had apparently inhaled and began to breathe a ga i n . Accord i n g to the p ol ice account of the incident, the grandmother said she had given the baby gripe water, an over-the-counter remedy for colic, to ease an upset stomach.

Callaway said she knew he was re c over i n g when he st a r t e d to regain color in his complexion and began whimpering.

“His eyes, you could just tell he was focusing more,” she said. “It was relieving, very relieving.”

Callaway said she has never been in a position to use her CPR training before, but she’s glad she had it when it was needed. She took the training when she was 16; it was a requirement to work at a summer camp where she was employed at the time.

C a l l aw ay h a s b e e n a p o l i c e officer since she was 19, first at the G e org ia St ate C apitol a nd for the last three years at Senoia Pol ice D epa r tment , s a id C apt .

Jason Ercole, of the Senoia Police Department.

Callaway was inspired to go into law en forcement by her f ather, James “Jimmy” Callaway, she said.

Her f ather wa s the d i re ctor of State Investigations for the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Tra ining C ouncil when he died last year at the age of 47.

At the ti me , he wa s at a law enforcement conference. Her father also served as a former police chief of Morrow Police Department and before that worked at Rockdale

County Sheriff’s Office and the MARTA police department.

“Just seeing his passion for it; it’s something that you feel in your blood,” Callaway said. “He was my big inspiration.”

C a l laway ’s a l it tle uncomfortable with all the attention she’s been getting since the incident, she said. She normally avoids t he s p ot l i g ht , C a l l aw ay said. And she stressed that saving that child required everyone who was on scene.

“It was not just me,” Callaway said. “It’s a team effort, a team ef for t w ith the grandmother who star ted the CPR , a team effor t (with) my sergeant, Sgt. Forrester, who kept in communication with our 911 dispatchers to provide updates, so that they could give that to fire and EMS, so that they knew what was going on and what they were coming into.”

Echoing those thoughts, Assistant Chief Steve Tomlin said by ema il that the depa r tment a lso c om mend s For re s t er for ke ep ing the scene calm during a critic a l sit u ation a nd C owet a 911 dispatchers for their “behind the scenes and often overlooked” role in public safety.

Ercole said the Senoia Police Department plans to present Callaway with its Life Saving Award at the Senoia City Council meeting on March 6.

It’s the first time he’s seen the department present the award, Ercole added.

“I’ve been there for 17 years, a nd there h ave b e en none during that time,” he said.

LAURA CAMPER

Senoia Officer Alexis Callaway will be honored for her role in saving the life of a baby who was not breathing and unresponsive when she and other officers arrived.

Heroes Among Us — The Newnan Times-Herald — 13

HEROES 2023

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Local elementary school students recently made a donation to the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office in honor of K-9 Kilo, who was injured Aug. 25 while attempting to apprehend a suspect. The students sold water and soda to raise the money. Pictured from left are CCSO Cpl. Mark Storey, elementary students A.J. H. and Graham M., CCSO Inv. William Faulkner and Kilo.

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14 — The Newnan Times-Herald — Heroes Among Us

HEROES 2023

Locals donate to help comfort K-9s sleep in comfort Police K-9 Officer Waro in was shot and killed when a teenager allegedly The dog days of summer have been opened fire on the dog.

Both cases remain under invesrough on Georgia K-9s this year.

Tw o w e e k s a g o , K- 9 O f f i c e r tigation by the Georgia Bureau of Kilo – a 7-year-old Belgian Mali- Investigation.

In the wake of these events, local nois- G er m a n Shepherd m i x who business owner C.J. D’Onofrio said has served with the Coweta County he was inspired to do something Sheriff’s Office for five years – was wounded in the line of duty during for the K-9 officers of the Coweta the attempted apprehension of a County Sheriff’s Office.

He a s ke d a r ou nd a b out wh at suspect.

After his injuries were treated at kinds of things the K-9s might need SweetWater Veterinary Hospital, that aren’t covered in the county Kilo was discharged, but he remains budget. Turns out, the dogs aren’t too much different from their hansidelined for the time being.

A few days later, Clayton County dlers – a comfortable bed is always appreciated, he was told.

“They want a good night's sleep,” D’Onofrio sa id. “ The dogs work hard and certainly deserve that.”

After doing some research, D’Onof rio said he decided on the Kuranda Dog B e d , re c og n i z e d for its ex treme durability and ability to support dogs up to 2 5 0 pounds.

The heavy-duty v inyl bed sta nds on a chew-proof, poly-re sin f ra me a nd prov ides a ir circulation underneath the bed.

D’Onofrio said he didn’t publicly request funds for K-9 Officer Kilo was the recipient of a Law Enforcement Medal

BY CLAY NEELY

of Valor for his recent actions in the line of duty.

PHOTOS BY CLAY NEELY

K-9 Officer Kilo rests on his new bed. Kilo was injured in a shooting but is recovering and expected to return to duty soon.

“

They want a good night’s sleep . The dogs work hard and certainly deserve that.

the beds, but instead let word of mouth do the work.

Soon, he had enough donations from local business owners and individuals to cover the cost of 14 new beds: seven for the current group of K-9s, four for incoming K-9s, two for recently retired dogs and one spare.

“At the end of the day, we just want to show support for those out there protecting our community,

”

and that includes our K-9s,” D’Onofrio said.

One of those bed recipients is K-9 Of f icer Kudo, who is handled by Deputy Anthony Bufano.

Bufano said the donation is much appreciated a mong deputies who treat their K-9 partners like family members.

SLEEP • 15

Heroes Among Us — The Newnan Times-Herald — 15

HEROES 2023

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PHOTOS BY CLAY NEELY

Deputy William Faulkner watches K-9 Officer Kilo rest on his new Kuranda dog bed, one of 14 provided by local business owner C.J. D’Onofrio after he collected donations from local business owners and individuals.

SLEEP From page 14 “O u r dog s put i n a lot of h a rd work, both in the field on calls and in their rigorous ongoing training,” Bufano said.

“The generosity shown for our K-9 unit is a testament to the strength of our community.”

D’Onofrio isn’t the only one showing gratitude for the sheriff’s office.

People f rom across the U. S . have inquired about Kilo’s recovery, and some have even sent tokens of appreciation for his service.

Quilts for Cops, an organization based in Marietta, donated a handmade quilt for K ilo, and the L aw Enforcement Medal of Honor Committee – based in Matlacha, Florida – presented him with a K-9 Law Enforcement Medal of Valor.

Sheriff Lenn Wood said he’s grate-

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“Quilts for Cops,” an organization based in Marietta, donated a handmade quilt for Kilo.

ful for the outpouring of community and national support for K ilo and the rest of the sheriff’s office. “ H e ’s r e c o v e r i n g w e l l a n d i s ex p e cte d to retu r n to dut y ver y soon,” Wood said. “We’ve had people from across the country praying for him.”

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16 — The Newnan Times-Herald — Heroes Among Us

HEROES 2023

A humble hero

BY LAURA CAMPER O n a da rk n ig ht i n Novemb er, S e no i a p ol ic e S g t . Ch r i s t o phe r Black drove slowly down a residential street. In order to see, he had his bright lights on, including the blue strip making the police vehicle easily recognizable.

Spotting the address he was looking for, he pulled in the driveway and knocked on the door. A bewildered woman answered the door. “ Most p e ople don’t ex p e ct the police to come unless you call them,” Black said.

After hearing that he was helping an Instacart driver with car problems deliver the groceries, Black and the woman’s husband carried the order into the house.

around to see if he could get some in sura nce for h is tr uck wh ile he started the paperwork for the stop.

“Basically, it’s a way to avoid an i mp ou nd,” Black s a id . “ The way the law reads, the vehicle shall be removed from the roadway, (for) no insurance.”

But when he came back to the car, Hill said he had called two or three companies but had been unable to establish insurance. So Black asked him if there was anyone who could pick him up.

“He said, ‘No. I’m homeless, and I live in my car,’” Black said. “Now, I’m just — inside me, I’m breaking down. I’m taking the guy’s car, taking all of his possessions, and he’s got nowhere to go, he’s got no one to pick him up.”

“

This doesn’t change anything because this is who I’ve always been. People throw the word hero around, and I hate that word. I’m being who I am, who I was raised to be.

“ She sa id someth in g a lon g the lines of, ‘This is the first time that this has ever happened, where somebody has delivered our groceries in a police car,’” Black said with a laugh.

S even month s later, Black wa s named June’s First Friday Hero by Piedmont Newnan Hospital for the actions he took that night, culminating with the delivery.

On that evening, Black said he pulled over a truck with an expired tag and no insurance. He had no idea that the driver, A ntonio Hill, was not just driving the truck, he was living in it. Black told Hill to call

”

Black knew he had to impound the car — that’s the law — but he was not going to leave Hill by the side of the road on that cold night if he could do anything about it. He asked if Hill was open to him trying to help, and then he asked an E-911 dispatcher to check with the Newnan Emergency Shelter Team, the warming center, to see if there were any beds available. There was one bed available — for a male.

Black enlisted another police officer to drive Hill there. While Hill wa s del ivere d to New n a n , Black delivered the load of Instacart gro-

COURTESY FACEBOOK

Antonio Hill wrote a Facebook post about Senoia police Sgt. Christopher Black and how he helped him get back on his feet after becoming homeless.

ceries that Hill had been on his way to drop off so that Hill could still get paid for the job.

On March 9, Hill posted on his Facebook page about the incident.

That post was shared 232 times.

“A lot of people say bad things about police officers,” Hill wrote. “I just want to thank God for officer Chris, ’cause he’s a blessing.”

Black said Hill, who is now of f the streets a nd work ing, wa nted the incident to become public to show others that just because you’re down, you’re not out.

Through NEST, Hill got involved with Bridging the Gap in Newnan, he wrote in the post. “ They connected me w ith a re s ou rc e t o get my tr uck out of impound, and they helped me find somewhere to stay,” Hill wrote. “I was blessed to be connected with someone who helped me get off the streets.”

Black said he didn’t feel heroic. “ Th is doesn’t cha nge a ny th ing b e c au s e th i s i s who I ’ve a lw ay s been,” he said. “People throw the word hero around, and I hate that word. I’m being who I am, who I was raised to be.”

All he did was hook Hill up with people with the resources to help him, and Hill did the rest, Black

PHOTO BY LAURA CAMPER

Senoia Sgt. Christopher Black was honored last week for the compassion he showed a homeless man that he pulled over in November.

sa id. “He wa nted to do that . He didn’t have to just sit there and be a victim,” Black said. “He chose to become a productive member of society again.”

P ie d mont New n a n cre ate d the First Friday Hero program in March of 2019 to recognize first responders each month who have gone above and beyond the call of duty. “ Thei r l i ne of work i s of t en a thankless job, and we want to make the community aware of our local heroes and all they do to make our c om mu n it ie s a b et t er a nd s a fer place,” said Vicki Kaiser, chief operating officer at Piedmont Newnan.

Black is the second Senoia officer to be named a First Friday Hero.

Senoia police Officer A lexis Callaway, 23, was honored in April for her part in saving a choking baby in December 2022.

Heroes Among Us — The Newnan Times-Herald — 17

HEROES 2023

CCFR Explorer program creates future firefighters and more

BY CLAY NEELY Workforce recruitment is a crucial issue for most industries, including public safety. For decades, Coweta County Fire Rescue has prioritized the development of local talent to help bolster its ranks.

C owet a C ounty Fire Ex plorers Post 700 provides high school students ages 14-17 a challenging educational opportunity to learn more about Fire/ EMS and see if a career in the field is right for them.

At Station 1, Creighton Smith, Dawson Hughes and Ian Bango are the th ree latest graduates of the Explorer program and have joined Coweta County FIre Rescue. Sitting in the office of Chief Robby Flanagan, they said the program went beyond their expectations in helping them choose a career in public safety.

The course teaches students about f i re s uppre s sion/ ho s e adv a nc e ment, sea rch a nd rescue, forcible entry, crash victim extrication, fire ground hydraulics, physical training and EMS. However, an emphasis on leadership and accountability ensures students are prepared for life beyond the fire station.

“It’s not just for people who want to do f ire ser v ice,” Hug hes sa id.

“Some might join the militar y or police, but they all want to (participate in the Explorers program) because they learn about leadership and responsibility.”

All potential Explorers must earn their way into the program. Each candidate must attend four meetings without being tardy, show engagement and demonstrate an ability to effectively communicate.

If those criteria are met and the application process is completed, the new recruit will take home old firefighting gear that has aged out.

PHOTO BY CLAY NEELY

Ian Bango, Dawson Hughes and Creighton Smith are the three latest graduates of the Coweta County Fire Rescue Explorer program.

While students learn the basics of firefighting and rescue operations, they also learn the importance of self-reliance, teamwork, and accountability.

At home, Explorers are required to ma int a in their gea r. They a re encouraged to physically work out with their new equipment and take full responsibility for its upkeep.

“If your gear gets messed up, you have to go through a chain of command,” Hughes said. “It helps you understand what it means to take

full responsibility for your stuff. It’s not something your parents can fix.”

Everything but fighting fires Explorers meet after school at Station 9 every Thursday. From 4:30-9 p.m., they absorb everything, learn-

ing the physical and mental requirements to become exceptional firefighter EMTs. For physical training, Explorers wear full gear. They stretch and do jumping jacks before getting down to the hard stuff like f lipping and

CCFR • 18

18 — The Newnan Times-Herald — Heroes Among Us

HEROES 2023

CCFR From page 17 d r a g g i n g t i r e s a n d o t h e r e x e rcises that mimic real-world duties they’ll need to be able to physically perform.

CCFR instructors come up with cur r icula for the Ex plorer s , who lea r n the ba sic s of hose control, charging and advancing lines, ropes and knots for rescue. They also utilize Gentry Auto Salvage to practice extrication methods for victims of car crashes.

Explorers go through the sa me t r a i n i n g a s f i r e f i g ht e r s , e xc e p t exposure to live fire. But they are allowed to ride on an apparatus and work a fire scene while staying in the “warm zone,” which allows them to help out and see how a live scene works.

However, t hey mu s t c omplet e textbook training before they can do these things.

“There’s always a safety aspect so they know the guidelines and rules,” Flanagan said. “When they show up to a scene, they have a purpose.”

Explorers quickly learn the physicality of the job, a long w ith the importance of hydration and nutrition, Flanagan said.

“That’s a big difference between Explorers and someone off the street who never had that kind of training,” he said. “They don’t realize the extent that these things play when being as effective as you can be.”

Hughes said the experience gained in the Explorer program helped him in recruit school. “ You’d be su r pr ise d how much schoolwork is involved,” he sa id. “ We had chapters of work, learning dif ferent pa r ts of f ire behavior, and other things like how many trucks we have in Coweta and where the stations are. We stayed f resh thanks to Explorers, and PT (physical training) wasn’t as hard when you could answer those questions correctly.”

The Explorer program has been utilized in different capacities by fire depar tments for decades. Coweta Firefighter Mathew Marchbank par-

PHOTO COURTESY CCFR

Explorers train on ground ladders and the importance of getting to know their equipment.

ticipated in the program in another county from 1988-1992 but said his experience was different from what present-day Explorers see.

“When I had questions, they made me figure it out on my own,” he said. “ Now, they are like our kids. You don’t want them to figure it out the wrong way, so you show them the correct way so they can pass that

along.”

E x plorer s a re genera lly ver y sel f-motivat e d , ac cord i n g to Marchbank.

“When someone is good at a specific task, it speeds up the learning process so other candidates can learn from them without tying up an instructor,” he said.

Ultimately, Ma rchba n k sa id he

wants CCFR to help build thinkers who can make critical decisions that positively impact everyone. “ The t e a m ef for t , t h at's when you really see the success,” he said.

“If you’re having trouble mentally, physically, we’re there for the program. It all benefits Coweta County

CCFR • 19

Heroes Among Us — The Newnan Times-Herald — 19

HEROES 2023

“

PHOTO COURTESY CCFR

Explorers demonstrate rapid dress, firefighter packaging and hose advancement for their families.

CCFR From page 18 Fire.”

Hughes said he quickly learned that being a good firefighter isn’t about being the best person, but en su r i n g the re st of the te a m is taken care of. “ B e i n g t he f a s t e s t o r b e s t a t something doesn’t mean anything if you’re not looking out for someone else,” he said. “There’s a sense of family that runs deep.”

Flanagan said family is important, both at the fire station and at home, so family nights allow the parents of Explorers to come to see their kids show off their skills.

Ready to work Since completing the Explorers

program, Smith, Hughes and Bango have gone on to become firefighter EM Ts w ith C owet a C ounty Fire Rescue. Other Explorers who are preparing to finish the program will be pursuing other opportunities not related to firefighting, including the armed services.

“O ne of them cit e d the he av y training required by the Explorer program as the reason he kept coming back and pushing harder,” Smith said.

Now that they’re f ull-time firefighters, each one cited the moment they realized it wasn’t just training anymore.

For Smith, it was performing a slope evacuation on the side of the interstate.

Hughes cracked a smile when he talked about the adrenaline rush he felt responding to a structure fire for the first time.

Bango said taking responsibility

The team effort, that’s when you really see the success. If you’re having trouble mentally, physically, we’re there for the program. It all benefits Coweta County Fire.

for helping a helicopter land safely was a feeling he won’t soon forget. “ When you have to la nd something, it’s usually a bad situation, so it’s a big deal being with the patient while all that happens,” he said.

”

As they continue to work different stations and different calls, the former Explorers’ experience keeps building, according to Marchman.

“We couldn’t be more proud,” he said.

20 — The Newnan Times-Herald — Heroes Among Us

HEROES 2023

Senoia Police add use-of-force training simulator

BY REBECCA LEFTWICH Senoia Police officers now have the opportunity to hone their gun – and people – skills in a safe environment with the addition of a use-of-force simulator.

When Capt. Jason Ercole, a certified training instructor, first came to the Senoia Police Department in 2007, the department only had six officers. As the force has grown, so has a crucial need for in-house training.

“When Jason Edens became chief, one of his main goals was to start to support ourselves as far as training needs,” Ercole said. “At the time, we were a very small agency and I was the only instructor they had. Prior to me getting here, all of the training that they required to meet their certification standards as a department and individually had to be outsourced, so they had to get it from the sheriff’s office, or Peachtree City or Newnan police.”

In 2015, SPLOST funds paid for a much-needed firing range.

“We were able to design and build our own firing range, which is very nice, and that alleviated us from having to rely on the (sheriff’s office) to use their range,” Ercole said. “We did, however, have to continue to use their simulator, because our policy requires that we have simulated use-of-force training annually.”

To meet that requirement, Ercole would take his officers to the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office for training on the county’s simulator. But the department has now grown to 20, and he said it was only a matter of time before the SPD would require its own training simulator.

At $50,000, a fully outfitted simulator seemed far out of reach for Senoia, Ercole said, and then there was the problem of finding an appropriately sized space to put it – an impossible task for the already bursting-at-the-seams police department.

Despite the odds, the SPD achieved

PHOTO BY REBECCA LEFTWICH

Capt. Jason Ercole demonstrates the Senoia Police Department’s new use of force simulator.

its goal late last year by working with the manufacturer to order a strippeddown model of the simulator, and installing it in a brand-new, custom-finished 20-by-40 outbuilding near the firing range – for the same price initially quoted for the simulator alone.

The advantage for a small department’s officers are the same as for any other sized department: the opportunity to train in marksmanship. And for the officers plus the wider community, an opportunity to exercise split-second decision-making regarding shoot/ don’t shoot scenarios is invaluable.

“Obviously, this is one of the best tools, the best training to give our officers the best chance of a positive outcome for all involved,” Ercole said.

And then there are the scenarios that don’t involve use of force at all.

“Some scenarios just require deescalation,” Ercole said. “They could require the use of a taser or pepper spray, or

just by simply placing your hands on a suspect.”

Ercole controls the scenarios and outcomes from a laptop behind the officers as they train using a simulation gun and a projector screen with sensors – much like a first-person shooter video game.

“I encourage the students to interact with the subjects on the screen just like they would in real life, to give commands and ask them questions,” he said.

“I can manipulate how the scenario goes based on their interaction. If I don’t see them interacting how they should be according to our training or policies, then I may change the actions of the violator or the person they’re dealing with until they finally get it right.”

The simulator is equipped with post-action review tools, including a picture-in-picture recording to replay audio and video of the trainee as they train. It also includes a clock that allows Ercole to pinpoint the moment a suspect pulls a

gun, for instance, and how quickly each gun is fired and where the shots hit.

Senoia officers train once a month in addition to the annual required training, but many officers choose to train more often than that.

“They can do it as many times as they want, and they love it,” Ercole said.

It’s a huge boost to the training program Ercole has created from scratch for the SPD over the past 17 years, one that has just been through its fourth accreditation and earned positive reviews.

Ercole said the simulator helps the department achieve a very important goal: public safety.

“We’d rather make the mistakes in an environment where we can discuss and address them rather than wait for those mistakes to happen out on the street,” he said. “Our goal is to get it right in front of the screen – that way we can get it right when we’re out there actually doing it in public.”

Heroes Among Us — The Newnan Times-Herald — 21

HEROES 2023

First responder softball tournament raises money for Christmas bikes

BY CLAY NEELY

PHOTO BY REBECCA LEFTWICH

The Coweta County Prison team battles it out with the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office.

A f irst responder sof tball game raised more than $4,000 dedicated t o prov id i n g bi ke s for k id s th i s Christmas.

L t . Je n n i f e r R e a s o r f r o m t h e Coweta County Department of Corrections helped organize the inaugural Battle of the First Responders event and rounded up eight teams from local agencies to play ball.

Members of the Coweta County Sher i f f ’s O f f ic e , New n a n Pol ic e Depar tment, 911/ EM A , G eorgia State Patrol, Peachtree City Police Department, Fayette County Sherif f ’s Of f ice a nd L aGra nge Police Department all fielded teams that

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competed over two days.

The event also featured a Home R u n D e r by, w h ic h w a s wo n by Trevor Green of the Fayette County Sheriff ’s Office, who hit a total of seven home runs to take the trophy.

In the end, LaGrange was named tournament champions, but every tea m’s pa r ticipation helped ra ise money for Christmas With A Cop, the annual shopping spree sponsored by the Newnan Police Department.

The program typically serves more than 120 children annually.

Funding for Christma s With A Cop also comes from the annual golf tournament and the upcoming car

SOFTBALL • 22

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22— The Newnan Times-Herald — Heroes Among Us

HEROES 2023

SOFTBALL From page 21 show hosted by NPD. P a r t ic ip a nt s i n Ch r i s t m a s With A Cop are given $250 to spend on any thing they want.

However, a bike would typically use up the entire amount.

Reasor said the Department of Corrections wanted to make sure any child who wanted to purchase a bike could get one without using up their allowance.

New na n Police Depa r tment Sgt. Edward L ee oversees the Christmas With a Cop program,

and he said the bike giveaway and ongoing partnership with the Department of Corrections is much appreciated.

The bikes will be purchased by t he D O C , a s s e mble d by inmates, and then hidden during the Ch r istma s With a C op program.

“If a child wants to buy a bike, we stop them, tell the warden and then show them the bikes,” Lee said.

Appl ic ation s for Ch r istm a s With a Cop are expected to open at the end of the month after the conclusion of the car show, which is scheduled for Oct. 21 at the Coweta County Fairgrounds.

TOP: Members of the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office team included front, from left, Shawn Searels, Christian Spinks, Toby Nix and Cathleen Seabrook; back, Chris Ricketson, Amy Hughes. Michael Yarbrough, Josh Gilbert, Jay Holloway, Daniel Smith, Jacob Black and Drew Fausett.

LEFT: Fayette County Sheriff’s Office slugger Trevor Green shows off his trophy after winning the Battle of the First Responders Home Run Derby with seven home runs.

Heroes Among Us — The Newnan Times-Herald — 23

HEROES 2023

FROM THE ENTIRE FAMILY

Educaang students in grades K-8

Family emergency preparedness crucial in case of disaster

BY NIC BURGESS

Coweta EMA Coordinator

As we all have experienced, disasters can and will occur at any time.

The EF4 tornado that impacted our community on March 25, 2021, is an unforgettable reminder of the importance of individual and family emergency preparedness. When the th re at is i m m i nent a nd on ly moments away, it is the planning and preparations you make now that can protect you and your family.

What is your family’s emergency pla n? Do you have a n emergency preparedness kit? Are you i nt er e s t e d i n CE RT t r a i n i n g?

Many of these aspects may seem simple, implied or even rudimentary, but in the moment of chaos, even the simplest of tasks can become difficult.

Have a plan It is important that you and members of your family have an understanding of what to do before, during and after an emergency. Emergency preparedness can be strengthened by considering three questions:

1. W h at a r e t he t h r e at s t h at make us vulnerable?

2. What are our immediate responses to those threats?

3. How ca n we m itigate these threats?

Build an emergency preparedness kit You r emer genc y k it shou ld b e u n ique t o you a nd you r f a m i ly.

Wh i le t her e a r e s ever a l gener a l items that we recommend including such as water, flashlights and a first aid kit, we all have different needs.

Discuss with your family what items are critical to each member and how these can be included.

As we reflect on the tornado, consider including the following in your kit: shoes, portable cell phone chargers, a copy of ID for each person, headlamp flashlights, a list of family phone numbers, toys for children and a list of medications.

Additional emergency preparedness kit information is available at www.ready.gov.

Enroll in CERT training CERT, or Community Emergency Response Team, training is a nationally supported, locally implemented initiative that teaches people how to better prepare themselves for hazards that may affect their communities. Basic CERT training is an eight-week training course hosted twice a year by the Coweta County Emergency Management Agency.

CERT trains the public in basic disaster response skills such as team organization, disaster medical operations, fire safety, and light search and rescue. Classes are scheduled on Thursdays from 6-8:30 p.m. with several of the classes being instructed by local first responders with extensive experience responding to emergencies in Coweta County.

At the conclusion of the training, a disaster exercise is held to provide the participants with an opportunity to apply the skills taught in the classroom portion of the training.

For more information, visit www. coweta.ga.us or contact the Coweta C ou nt y E mergency M a n a gement Agency at 770-254-5809.

Coweta Charter Academy at Senoia (CCAs) is a tuiion-free public school open to students in Coweta, Meriwether, & Spalding Counies.

APPLY ONLINE AT

CowteaCharter.org For More Informaaon Call

770-599-0228

@CowetaCharter

Coweta Charter Academy complies with all applicable state and federal laws regarding non-discrimination in employment and educational programs and services. Georgia Charter Educational Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion, national origin or age regarding employment or educational programs and activities.

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24 — The Newnan Times-Herald — Heroes Among Us

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