St. Thomas-St. John school monitors learn defensive and reasonable use of force tactics at a week-long professional development session at Ivanna Eudora Kean High School on August 31.
Forty-two school monitors in the St. Thomas-St. John district put in some serious work before the school year began by attending a week of extensive tactical training conducted by members of the Arkansas Police Department.
Participants described the week-long professional development as "the best training we ever had," during an intense session on reasonable use of force training at the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School gymnasium on August 31. But before they hit the mats to learn the hands-on tactics, monitors hit the books to learn what the U.S. Constitution and federal law say about safety, force and restraint on a school campus, and how to avoid becoming a defendant in a lawsuit.
Syreeta Jennings, a monitor at the Wheatley Skills Center who also assists at the Charlotte Amalie High School (CAHS) and Richard Biscombe, a monitor at CAHS, expressed their excitement.
"We are the first line of defense for students and this training has brought clarity to the job description of monitors," Jennings said. Biscombe said the sessions helped them distinguish the difference between the right and wrong ways to operate as a school monitor. "The presenters were very open and shared information with us anytime we had questions," he said. The duo said that while the district's school monitors have received training in the past, this by far was the most in-depth and informative they have received. They went on to say that the level and caliber of training received also helped to boost the morale of them and their peers.
After learning their legal rights during morning sessions, school monitors engaged in baton training, as well as handcuffing and defensive tactics during afternoon sessions. They also received Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events training, as associated with an active shooter within and around school facilities during the regular school day and at school-sponsored activities.
During a reasonable use of force training, instructors could be seen teaching monitors specific pressure points on the human body that when engaged in the right way, could subdue a threat without inflicting lasting injuries on the subject. After demonstrating the tactics, the trainers instructed the monitors to practice the techniques on each other. During practice, monitors correctly executed the moves they were shown.
As part of their training, each monitor received a baton and handcuffs for use in situations that may require restraint while on campus.
Training officers included Captain Justin W. Tapely, Lt. Jamie N. Booth and Johnny Purvis, a retired teach-cop.
Monitors in the St. Croix school district received the same training in August.
Monitors learn how to properly apply force to certain pressure points in order to subdue a threat without causing injury to the subject.
Handcuffs
Batons
