Sayre, OK — The Beckham County Sheriff’s Office continues to invest in training for deputies and investigators, according to Sheriff Derek Manning, who outlined several recent and upcoming programs designed to strengthen skills and protect constitutional rights.
Last Friday, two detectives, Brandon Sims and Shannon Olson, along with jail investigator Dylan Ward, attended a school focused on interview and interrogation practices. Manning said the course centered on the legal and constitutional aspects of questioning suspects.
“It was not technique so much as it was about the laws surrounding that, the proper way to do it, how to do interview and interrogation and not violate people’s constitutional rights,” Manning said. “You can easily step outside those lines and that can get thrown out of court.”
He added that the deputies reported the school was worthwhile and practical. “Sometimes you go to these schools and the guys get back and they are like, yeah, I could have done without that. But this one was a good school,” Manning said.
Over the weekend, several deputies also participated in simulator training at the Western Technology Center in Sayre. The training, organized with the help of reserve deputy John Currid, included a driving simulator and a scenario simulator. This session focused on driving.
Captain Simpson, who attended the training, told Manning it was beneficial. Deputies spent about two hours reviewing safety techniques, judgment calls, and when to consider calling off a pursuit. They then rotated through the simulator, which is designed to test decision making and reaction time.
“The simulator is designed more for judgment and thinking about the things that can arise and putting scenarios in front of the students to test their judgment and reaction time more so than driving skills,” Manning said.
Manning said he believes the simulator will become a valuable resource for law enforcement agencies across Western Oklahoma. Future plans include combining driving scenarios with on foot response situations to create a more comprehensive training experience.
In addition, the department has sent Deputy Zachary Dusek to K-9 handler school with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. The four week academy will prepare Dusek to take over handling duties for the department’s K-9, Mirror.
Former handler Kyle Oliver recently moved to another agency but will continue to serve in a reserve capacity while the transition takes place.
“We are not training the dog, we are training the dog handler,” Manning said. “Mirror is a great dog and of course will benefit from all the training.”
Manning said the academy emphasizes bonding between the dog and handler, along with reinforcing proper techniques and responsibilities of a K-9 officer. He expressed confidence in Dusek’s abilities, calling him intelligent and motivated.
Looking ahead, Manning said he will send Detectives Sims and Olson to the OSBI Sexual Assault Response and Investigation Academy next week. The two week program focuses on investigating sexual assault cases involving both adults and children.
“They are going to go through that course, gain more skills, brush up on the skills they already have, and get a lot of new information to help us work those cases as proficiently as we possibly can,” Manning said.
Manning said ongoing training remains a priority for the department as it works to maintain high professional standards and improve service to the community.
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