BLYTHE — Continuing training for law enforcement is important, and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has a center on nearly 500 acres in south Richmond County devoted to just that.
With three firing ranges, classrooms, a shoot house, an emergency vehicle operator course and more, the training center is the site of year-round training for basic law enforcement officers, jail officers and others.
“The sheriff wants us to be best training center in the region, and I think we are. It’s only going in the right direction if we just continue what we’re doing,” said Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs Public Information Officer Capt. Glen Rahn.
A total of 20 weeks of in-service training is conducted year round, which consists of PT, use of force, firearms, community policing, de-escalation, judgmental shooting and more.
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Richmond County Sheriff’s Office training center conducts active shooter training, which Rahn says is top notch.
“You want something as realistic as you can make it because that is what you’re going to encounter when you’re out there,” he said. “We probably put on some of the best active shooter training.”
Advanced training opportunities are also available at the training center which includes Supervision I, Supervision II, Supervision II, domestic violence training, Interview and Interrogation leadership training, advanced sexual assault investigations, field training officer training, blood splatter analysis and advanced homicide training.
Not only Richmond County Sheriff’s Office train at this facility, but multiple agencies and other outside vendors. Some include Fort Gordon, Richmond County Marshal’s Office, North Augusta Police Department, FBI, and ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives).
The training center, in conjunction with Georgia Sheriff’s Association, conducted three basic jailor courses. This is a two-week course that multiple agencies attend.
Richmond County’s Sheriff’s Office Training Division also host and with two to three basic police officer classes and training conducted through Augusta Tech.
A new armory building is currently being built at the training center. According to Rahn, not only does it house firearms, but it is a place where weapons are cleaned and where the Multiple Interactive Learning Training Objectives system will be located.
Rahn praised Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree for his focus on law enforcement training.
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“The sheriff is very focused on the training aspect, not only for not only the regular deputies or cadets but for supervisors. We put on supervision classes, not just for our agency, but agencies all over it that take part in it,” he said. “It is extremely important.”
According to Rahn, in 2021, 652 Richmond County Sheriff Office employees took 66,063 hours of training with the hour of ratio per employee being 101.3. According to the Georgia Police Academy, the state of Georgia requires 20 hours of training.
Under Roundtree, the Richmond County Sheriff’s office requires double that at 40 hours.
“I think we have really ramped up our training and that is something that has always been needed because it makes it safer for the officer, but it also makes it safer for the community,” Rahn said. “That is the ultimate goal to make it safer for everybody.
Chris Rickerson is a staff reporter covering Columbia County government and general assignment topics for The Augusta Press. Reach him at chris@theaugustapress.com.
