HENRY COUNTY | RICKEY STOKES NEWS
“Dreams don’t work, unless you do,” and that motto is being put into action by the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff and Deputies have spent countless hours cleaning and preparing the county’s new Training Center, and this week the facility is hosting the Alabama Tactical Officers Association BTOC Course — commonly known as SWAT School.
Participants were awarded scholarships through ATOA, allowing officers from across Alabama to attend. Agencies represented include Saraland Police Department, Coosa County Sheriff’s Office, Hale County Sheriff’s Office, Brent Police Department, Fort Payne Police Department, Dale County Sheriff’s Office, Quin Police Department, Headland Police Department, and Henry County Sheriff’s Office.
Out-of-town officers were able to stay free of charge in the dormitories at the Training Center, helping remove financial barriers that might have otherwise prevented some departments from sending personnel.
Sheriff Eric Blankenship said bringing this course to Henry County has been a year-long goal.
“This has been a goal of mine for the past year and seeing this class come together is truly a result of great partnerships with the Henry County Commission, the Alabama Tactical Officers Association, and the staff at the Henry County Sheriff’s Office. A lot of these officers attending training this week may not have been able to get this training without this opportunity. As I put the new panels in the sign at the road today it made it all feel a little more real. Even though the facility has a lot more work to be done on it, we are on the right path!” — Sheriff Eric Blankenship
The training marks a major step forward for the county’s new facility and highlights the strong partnerships between local leadership and statewide law enforcement organizations.
More updates from the Training Center are expected as work continues and additional courses are planned
