Deputies tell stories of survival to help train cadets

Editor’s Note: As Betsy Brantner Smith says in her article, Teaching by storytelling, “Whether you’re in the classroom, in roll call, or in a squad car sitting next to a new rookie, storytelling is an excellent method of training. If you’re a field training officer, a couple of well-placed stories during those “teachable moments” on shift can make a great impact on your recruit. As a supervisor or manager who conducts a roll call or shift briefing each day, you can use stories to present messages on officer survival, leadership, ethics, or service to the community. As a police trainer, storytelling is an invaluable tool in the classroom. And there is no better way to honor our fallen and our injured than to tell their stories.”