Alabama Sheriff's Office Hosts Youth Academy, Shows Teens the Inner Workings of Police and Jail

By David Gambino
The Decatur Daily, Alabama.

HARTSELLE, Alabama — This week, a group of teens got a taste of what it’s like to be a Morgan County Sheriff’s Office deputy at the inaugural Sheriff’s Youth Academy and came away from the hands-on experience with new interests, skills and an appreciation for the work of local law enforcement.

“The first day was really fun,” said Lily Cocke, 15. “We had to do a traffic stop. We set it up like a real traffic stop and got to work. We got to drive the lifeboat down the Tennessee River and stuff. There were a lot of different things; it’s hard to pick a favorite.”

Cocke took notes Thursday as MCSO SWAT team operators explained some of their equipment — like gas masks, night vision goggles, firearms and a drone — before demonstrating how to safely clear a building. She took so many notes this week, in fact, that it earned her the nickname “Notes” among her peers.

“Seeing the kids having fun and getting something out of it,” MCSO spokesman Mike Swafford said, was especially rewarding for the academy instructors.

“That’s what this is all about,” he said. “It’s about giving them an insight into why we do what we do, but then we let them do the actual things so they understand how we do it.”

Swafford said plans were in the works for the academy in 2019, but those plans were thwarted by COVID. Eventually, the idea was revisited and, Swafford said, “the stars aligned.”

Tom Fredricks and the Hartselle Christian Church Charitable Trust Fund donated $10,000 to help make the academy possible. Swafford said the Alabama Sons of Liberty Riders, a motorcycle group, also contributed funding.

Drake Westmoreland, 13, said he is interested in a career in law enforcement.

“I thought this show would be cool, that I would get to see the jail and see how some of the sheriff's department forces operate,” he said.

Westmoreland and several others of the nearly 20 participants said the tour of the Morgan County Jail was their favorite part of the week.

“I read a lot of crime books, I watch a lot of crime shows on TV and stuff like that,” Cocke said. “When we toured the prison, it was very different than what people portray, especially on TV, and it changes your perspective a lot. If you’ve seen the Green Line, they portray it as a bunch of mean prison guards and all that, but they’re more concerned about the safety of the prisoners than they are about their own safety.”

The academy students even got to sample prison food, a plate of sausage, cornbread, rice and okra. Cocke and her friend Ella Turney, 16, expected a “disgusting” meal based on depictions of popular culture. Instead, they said “94 percent” of the class really enjoyed it.

Turney said she enrolled in the academy because Cocke encouraged her to do so.

“At first I just thought it would be fun,” she said, “and now I’m interested in it. There are a lot of different jobs I could do. I’d probably want to do K9 or narcotics.”

Swafford's son, Brennan Swafford, 14, said he enjoys visiting the prison because it's something most people don't typically see.

“Also, you get to understand how it works, what the cells look like, the privileges that some of them have,” he said. “I also enjoyed learning how the K9 units work and what they do, as well as how they are trained and the different tasks they use the different dogs for.”

Brennan Swafford said he originally wanted to become a doctor, but the academy “sparked” his interest in a possible career as a patrol deputy.

Riley Clagg, 15, said she signed up because she wanted to find a field she would be interested in later in life. Now, she wants to become a corrections officer.

“But I’m pretty introverted, so that’s something I’m going to have to develop,” she said. “I really have to work on opening up to people more.”

On Thursday morning, the last day of the academy, students gathered around Sergeant Gerald Jenkins inside the Hartselle Tactical Training Center as he explained SWAT tactical gear in a way they could relate to.

“Anyone playing Call of Duty?” he asked.

A boy quickly raised his hand. Jenkins then showed them a fully automatic M4 carbine and a submachine gun. Then Jenkins brandished a handheld battering ram.

“It’s a key,” he explained. “It’s a master key.”

Then the students piled into the SWAT van.

“It can accommodate a lot of people, so we don’t need to bring 10 vehicles,” he said. “Can you imagine the same number of people with all that equipment?”

Jenkins shared an anecdote about waiting in the back of the van for surgery for about 10 hours.

Captain Richard Moats unboxed a drone for the upcoming demonstration.

“This is DJI’s newest drone,” he said. “It’s a first-person drone. Have you ever seen an Oculus (virtual reality headset)?”

Several students said yes.

“It’s the same concept,” Moats continued. “There’s a little dot in the center of the screen, and wherever I point the controller, the drone goes. This drone costs $1,200. It’s a lot more affordable than sending one of our operators out.”

Moats recounted an anecdote about recently using a drone to fly over a house where drug trafficking was taking place. He said the footage could later be used in legal proceedings.

“All right, that’s my speech,” he said. “Go play with the SWAT guys. Have fun.”

The students then returned to Jenkins, who handed them Nerf guns. They divided into small groups and took turns learning how to enter and clear rooms tactically.

“Search warrant from the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office!” a boy shouted before forcing his way into the training center.

The operators accompanied them at every stage of the process.

“Well, we have one door left,” a deputy said. “You’ve cleaned everything but this room, what do you think? Is there a bad guy in there?”

The “bad guy”, also an assistant, was indeed “in there”. He was hit by a volley of foam darts fired by the cheering students.

The SWAT team also gave demonstrations, including using a stun grenade and opening a door using explosives. Students were given eye and ear protection and instructed to keep a safe distance.

The explosion made a lot of noise. Then, instructors and students gathered to inspect the damaged door.

“You can’t do that in Call of Duty,” Jenkins said.

A girl inspected the spot where the door had broken near the lock.

“It’s not a door anymore,” she said. “I think you all need a new door now.”

After lunch, students learned cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid using tourniquets and Narcan. In the afternoon, they attended a graduation ceremony and received certificates.

Swafford said the academy's first year has been a learning experience. This year, 30 enrollment spots were open to students in grades nine through 11 in Morgan County. The program is still evolving.

“Next year we’ll probably expand the program to seniors or do something different,” he said. “We’re already looking at offering it for two weeks next summer – two sessions – because the program has been so well received. It’s a living, breathing program that we’re going to continue to refine and shape.”

Swafford said he expects they will begin announcing next year's enrollment in April or May.

“One of the MPs said earlier today that he was sad that it was over because it was probably one of the most fun weeks we've had,” he said.

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