FRANK LEWIS

PDT Staff Writer

If you have wondered what you can do to assist law enforcement, you may just get some answers at the Community Shield training, Aug. 18 at 5 p.m. at the Ironton Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, 141 Township Rd. 161, in South Point, Ohio.

Community Shield training will be delivered by a trooper of the OSHP, Sergeant N.A. Lunsford, in a one-hour training block, consisting of instruction in impaired driver detection, criminal patrol, homeland security and human trafficking.

Lieutenant M.R. Gore of the Ironton Post said the training is geared towards training community members to assist local law enforcement and troopers while they are on the road as extra sets of eyes and ears.

“If you see somebody that’s taking pictures of a bridge; taking pictures of power plants, something like that; how to recognize things that are out of the ordinary, and then how to report it using the #677 number to the local Highway Patrol Post,” Gore said.

Gore said attendees will be provided a certificate and a complimentary license plate bracket at the conclusion of the training.

Anyone wishing to attend the training session should call the Ironton Post at 740-377-4312. Gore said space is limited and registration is being handled on a first-come, first-served basis. Deadline for the registration is Aug. 6.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is launching the “Community Shield” program for civilians at various locations throughout the state, with the goal of arming the public with baseline criminal indicators and awareness level information.

Frank Lewis may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 232, or at flewis@heartlandpublications.com