Independence County Sheriff Shawn Stephens and two members of his staff, Chief Aaron Moody and Lt. Wayne Green, recently attended a Child Abduction Response Team (CART) workshop in order to be certified in that area.
Stephens noted that about 70 members of emergency response teams in the state attended the workshop and that the four-hour training session was very helpful and very interesting as well.
He noted that the CART program in Arkansas runs through State Police Trooper locations. This area is in Troop B, and it will join with Troop C to form one large CART.
The sheriff said response teams are being formed throughout the state, and Arkansas will soon be the first state to have statewide certification.
The sheriff said this is certainly one training program that you hope you never have to use, but he said, “We realize our department must be prepared if a child abduction occurs. Time is of the essence.”
Others the sheriff mentioned that are involved in the program are Independence County Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Glen Willis, Batesville Police Department Lt. Kyle Williford, and Shad Pierce of Arkansas Game & Fish.
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