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Friday evening saw a large police presence at the Kirbo Center, including helicopters, as law enforcement from across southwest Georgia gathered for a training meeting, as part of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) Southwest Traffic Enforcement Network (SWTEN).

Captain Ramsay Simmons of the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office spoke with the Post-Searchlight about the event. According to Simmons, the multiple counties in Georgia are divided into regional traffic networks. Law enforcement officers are also required to undergo 20 hours of training in various topics pertaining to law enforcement in order to maintain certification. These topics can range from active shooter training, or in this case, traffic training. “These guys work hard to maintain that certification,” Simmons said. The different networks have a meeting scheduled in each different county monthly, with June being Decatur County’s turn to host.

Friday’s training saw 145 individuals from the southwest region in attendance, including law enforcement officers from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia State Patrol, Bainbridge Public Safety, the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office, and law enforcement from surrounding counties including Seminole, Thomas and Worth.

The evening’s order of events saw an hour of training first, followed by dinner and a drawing for various donated items, before the officers dispersed to traffic checkpoints, performing license, sobriety and child seat checks. According to Simmons, there were multiple arrests made that evening, for charges ranging from DUI, to stolen firearms, wanted felons and drug possession.

“These guys are out there trying to make sure people are comfortable in traveling and safe,” Simmons said in conclusion.