A newly completed training facility shared by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and the Carroll County Regional Correctional Facility is already being used for law enforcement training, medical certifications and inmate workforce development. (Photo: CCSO)CARROLL COUNTY — A newly completed training facility shared by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and the Carroll County Regional Correctional Facility is already being used for law enforcement training, medical certifications and inmate workforce development.
According to Sheriff Clint Walker, the facility was built using revenue generated by the Carroll County Regional Correctional Facility and required no additional local tax dollars. The building was designed to support classroom and tactical training for sheriff’s deputies and jail staff.
Much of the interior work — including wiring, plumbing, carpentry and finishing — was completed by career technical student inmates and their instructors, providing hands-on experience intended to help inmates re-enter the workforce after their release.
The facility recently hosted training on a newly donated automated external defibrillator, or AED, provided by Medstat. Representatives Eric Sprayberry, Melissa Chamness and Josh Bennett instructed sheriff’s office personnel on how to use the device, which can be critical in responding to cardiac emergencies.
Walker said deputies are often among the first to arrive at medical calls and having access to an AED can mean the difference between life and death.
A newly completed training facility shared by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and the Carroll County Regional Correctional Facility is already being used for law enforcement training, medical certifications and inmate workforce development. (Photo: CCSO)The training center’s firing range has also been used by retired U.S. Marine Corps sniper and former Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics SWAT Team Capt. Allen Ward, who returned to provide tactical instruction to deputies.
In addition to firearms training, the facility has been used for officer certification classes, CPR certification and annual firearms qualification training. Officials said having a dedicated training site has saved the correctional facility significant costs.
“I cannot stress enough how important equipment and training are to our agency,” Walker said. “Many times in the news we see incidents that could have been handled better — or even avoided — if an agency had only invested more time in providing their officers with training and more up-to-date equipment.”
Walker thanked Medstat for donating the AED and providing instruction, Ward for sharing his experience with deputies, and the Carroll County Board of Supervisors for supporting the project.
He also recognized Beat 5 Supervisor Randy Browning and his road crew for performing the dirt work for the building and firing range, which he said saved thousands of dollars.
Walker said the completed facility and rifle-pistol range are large enough to accommodate joint training with neighboring agencies and will help ensure deputies have the skills and resources needed to serve Carroll County residents.
