justken2u
11-10-2006, 07:08 PM
Marietta Daily Journal - Katie Fallon
COBB COUNTY - A Cobb grand jury has called for an investigation of the academy where a Kennesaw police recruit in September was accidentally shot during training and later died.
Tara Drummond was training to become an officer with the Kennesaw Police Department when on Sept. 13 she was accidentally shot during a firearms training exercise at the North Central Georgia Law Enforcement Academy.
Ms. Drummond's instructor, Cobb Sheriff's Deputy Sgt. Albert Jackson fatally wounded her when he fired a gun at Ms. Drummond that he thought was loaded with "dummy," or training, rounds. The exercise was designed to have trainees experience what it is like to have a loaded gun pointed at them.
Cobb's May-June grand jury met with the law enforcement academy's director, Dr. Carole Morgan. The academy is run by the county sheriff's office, not the state, but the grand jury found procedures at the academy that are inconsistent with state guidelines.
The grand jury described a "non-standardized" form of training guidelines established by academy instructors. The grand jury found there does not appear to be any specific training for the instructors to use established lesson plans, teaching methods or other specific guidelines.
"This may have included procedures that are in violation of written policies, regulations, memorandums, safety procedures and common sense," the grand jury's presentment reads.
The grand jury said in its interviews with Ms. Morgan, she denied knowledge of the violations. They said numerous interviews with instructors made it apparent that violations not only occurred, but were accepted practice.
Several calls to Ms. Morgan were not returned by press time.
Jurists recommended Cobb's next grand jury conduct a full and thorough inspection of the academy, its personnel and procedures.
Cobb County District Attorney Pat Head could not confirm whether Cobb's sitting grand jury has launched a probe of the law enforcement academy. He said its presentments would not be available until early in September.
Head said although recommendations of any grand jury are merely advisory, the grand jury that visited the academy saw enough concern to form a committee.
"Based upon the evidence in that case, (the grand jury) thought there was cause for concern in the methodology of the academy," Head said. "They want to make sure it never happens again."
Head said the incumbent grand jury is under no obligation to follow the recommendations of it's the previous panel.
The former grand jury recommended that all lessons taught at the academy be in a standardized written form; all instructors be trained in the use of the lesson plans; and instructors be required to follow those guidelines and sign a letter of understanding and compliance for placement in their personnel file.
The grand jury also suggested a classroom evaluator be randomly used to ensure compliance or a video monitoring system be installed.
Lastly, the grand jury recommended that Ms. Morgan approve any deviation from established guidelines prior to implementation and generate a revised lesson plan for all instructors.
Any final recommendations about the law enforcement academy would be forwarded to the Cobb County Sheriff's Office, which manages the academy.
Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Nancy Bodiford said the department couldn't comment on open grand jury investigations.
On March 2, another Cobb grand jury decided not to indict Jackson, Ms. Drummond's firearms instructor who shot her.
Investigators ruled the shooting an "accidental discharge of a weapon," but a 2001 directive from the Georgia Public Safety Training Center concluded that a loaded weapon should never have been in the classroom.
The directive states that firearms capable of firing any type of ammunition are banned from all simulated or practical training exercises except at a firing range.
COBB COUNTY - A Cobb grand jury has called for an investigation of the academy where a Kennesaw police recruit in September was accidentally shot during training and later died.
Tara Drummond was training to become an officer with the Kennesaw Police Department when on Sept. 13 she was accidentally shot during a firearms training exercise at the North Central Georgia Law Enforcement Academy.
Ms. Drummond's instructor, Cobb Sheriff's Deputy Sgt. Albert Jackson fatally wounded her when he fired a gun at Ms. Drummond that he thought was loaded with "dummy," or training, rounds. The exercise was designed to have trainees experience what it is like to have a loaded gun pointed at them.
Cobb's May-June grand jury met with the law enforcement academy's director, Dr. Carole Morgan. The academy is run by the county sheriff's office, not the state, but the grand jury found procedures at the academy that are inconsistent with state guidelines.
The grand jury described a "non-standardized" form of training guidelines established by academy instructors. The grand jury found there does not appear to be any specific training for the instructors to use established lesson plans, teaching methods or other specific guidelines.
"This may have included procedures that are in violation of written policies, regulations, memorandums, safety procedures and common sense," the grand jury's presentment reads.
The grand jury said in its interviews with Ms. Morgan, she denied knowledge of the violations. They said numerous interviews with instructors made it apparent that violations not only occurred, but were accepted practice.
Several calls to Ms. Morgan were not returned by press time.
Jurists recommended Cobb's next grand jury conduct a full and thorough inspection of the academy, its personnel and procedures.
Cobb County District Attorney Pat Head could not confirm whether Cobb's sitting grand jury has launched a probe of the law enforcement academy. He said its presentments would not be available until early in September.
Head said although recommendations of any grand jury are merely advisory, the grand jury that visited the academy saw enough concern to form a committee.
"Based upon the evidence in that case, (the grand jury) thought there was cause for concern in the methodology of the academy," Head said. "They want to make sure it never happens again."
Head said the incumbent grand jury is under no obligation to follow the recommendations of it's the previous panel.
The former grand jury recommended that all lessons taught at the academy be in a standardized written form; all instructors be trained in the use of the lesson plans; and instructors be required to follow those guidelines and sign a letter of understanding and compliance for placement in their personnel file.
The grand jury also suggested a classroom evaluator be randomly used to ensure compliance or a video monitoring system be installed.
Lastly, the grand jury recommended that Ms. Morgan approve any deviation from established guidelines prior to implementation and generate a revised lesson plan for all instructors.
Any final recommendations about the law enforcement academy would be forwarded to the Cobb County Sheriff's Office, which manages the academy.
Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Nancy Bodiford said the department couldn't comment on open grand jury investigations.
On March 2, another Cobb grand jury decided not to indict Jackson, Ms. Drummond's firearms instructor who shot her.
Investigators ruled the shooting an "accidental discharge of a weapon," but a 2001 directive from the Georgia Public Safety Training Center concluded that a loaded weapon should never have been in the classroom.
The directive states that firearms capable of firing any type of ammunition are banned from all simulated or practical training exercises except at a firing range.