DOTHAN: In June 2024 Dothan Police Chief Will Benny assembled his command staff. The Command Staff consists of Dothan Police Major Will Glover, Captain Rachel David – Training Center; Captain Jason Penn – Investigative Bureaus; Captain Thomas Davis – Patrol Uniform Division; Captain Lynn Watkins – Administrative Division.
Chief Will Benny instructed the command staff to begin preparations for Mardi Gras 2025, which took place this past weekend. The command staff, people under their command, Lieutenants, Sergeants and Corporals began developing plans.
Within those plans, training and scenarios were developed. In the 28,130 square foot Education and Training Building of the Wiregrass Public Safety Center, which includes an array of scenario-specific resources designed to simulate, with crucial accuracy, the emergency situations first responders are likely to face, training was conducted.
As the command staff developed those specific plans, Chief Will Benny was briefed and interjected his thoughts. Finally the plan was developed.
On Saturday morning some 100 law enforcement officers, combined agencies of Houston County Sheriff Department, ALEA – Troopers, Governmental Specialists from the U.S Government assembled earlier for a detailed briefing.
While law enforcement developed their plans, Dothan Fire Chief Larry Williams and his command staff, Deputy Fire Chief’s Chris Etheridge, Deputy Fire Chief David Hasty, Deputy Fire Chief Pete Webb, and the different Battalion Chief and Captains along with Pilcher Ambulance. Southeast Health and Flowers Hospital developed emergency medical procedures. With each plan how to manage the huge volume of people and regular fire and EMS calls. Also how to navigate the downtown area to respond to routine emergencies.
Then the Dothan 911 Center in how to manage the routine dispatch and response of emergency calls because of different areas being barricaded.
CHECK, RECHECK, DOUBLE CHECK … all plans developed, rehearsed and all systems ready for implementation.
Saturday morning, early, over 100 assembled for the final briefing. Dothan dump trucks were positioned to assist in blocking intersections along with Dothan Police units. What Chief Benny and Command Staff was not going to allow was a New Orleans situation of a vehicle crashing into the crowds of people. There were true “undercover officers” in different places with beads and a hidden radio ear piece in their ears, stationed strategically in places to observe. Officers were not allowed to talk with these “undercover officers.” There was a display of officers in uniforms and tactical gear. Sometimes visual presence is a deterrent.
The overall commanders, Dothan Police Major Will Glover and Captain Thomas Davis. With confidence in his command staff, Dothan Police Chief Will Benny backed off in the background and let the command staff manage the operation.
At the close of the Mardi Gras parade, which was attended by hundreds of hundreds of people, the only two problems to my knowledge, were two fights that broke out. And the law enforcement officers were on top of it, quickly. Those were about the only ones arrested.
The crowd felt safe and behaved really well. A smooth safe event.
But a well planned out event. Wiregrass Public Safety Director Jason Wright commented on Facebook, that watching the training at Wiregrass Public Safety Center and then seeing the plan implemented, all involved did an excellent job. While Wright is not over the actual training implementation, but seeing and being involved at the center he was proud of all agencies and officers involved.
Following the day Dothan Police Chief Will Benny, Dothan Police Major Will Glover, Dothan Police Captain Thomas Davis expressed their gratitude to all law enforcement and emergency responders with fire and EMS. A job well done, a event concluded with no major issues and everyone worked together as designed.
