Sheriff’s Crisis Negotiations Team Training

Crisis negotiators trained for school safety situations during recent exercises at Rockvale High School, said Lt. Derek Oeser of the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Crisis Negotiations Team.

“Our goal is always ‘a peaceful resolution’ in the interest everyone involved,” Oeser said.

In the interest and focus of school safety, the 12-member team conducted hostage negotiation scenarios at the high school campus.

“The training was designed to prepare our team’s response to crisis situations above and beyond an active threat incident,” Oeser said.

The team includes three school resource officers.

Team leader Joseph Duncan said Oeser created a scenario involving a student experiencing a mental health crisis.

“The scene is ever changing,” Duncan said. “It was very fluid and very life-like that let us practice different skills.”

Oeser thanked Rockvale High School Principal Steve Luker for allowing the team to train at the school.