Shelby Co. Sheriff's office implements concealed carry/ firearms training course for school administrators and select teachers

by Chad D. Baus

Shelby Co. Sheriff John Lenhart's office has announced that it is implementing a concealed carry/ firearms training course for school administrators and select teachers.

Following is the press release, dated Feb. 5, 2013:

The Shelby County Sheriff's Office has been meeting with School Superintendents and local Boards of Education and will begin implementing a Concealed Carry/ Firearms Training for School Administrators and select teachers. These personnel will be selected and approved by the local school boards prior to training being offered by the Sheriff's Office.

A 16 hour training course has been planned and outlined by the Sheriff's Office. This training will consist of 12 hours of class room instruction to be held at the Sheriff's Office and 4 hours of firearms training on the Sheriff's Office firing range.

Training will include not only concealed carry weapons training but will include weapons safety and storage, tactics, for handling the weapon(s), dealing with suspects, and basic gunshot first aid.

The three instructors for this course are fully trained Sheriff's Deputies and hold Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA) certification [and] as firearms instructors have a combined 51 years experience between them.

This training is being provided by the Sheriff's Office from the Concealed Carry Fund at no cost to the local school districts.

Sheriff John R. Lenhart is honored and please to be able to to provide this training as part of our mission with the school districts to protect our children.

School administrators can contact Sheriff Lenhart directly by calling 937-498-7833 to schedule training.

Schools in Shelby County chosing to take part in the program will join Montpelier, OH schools in Williams County and Orville City Schools in Wayne County as schools whose decision to arm school employees is public knowledge. Other schools across the state have made the decision as part of their school safety plan, which understandably is not accessible as a public record.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Vice Chairman.

Media Coverage:
Sidney Daily News - Gun training for teachers

WKEF (ABC Dayton) - Shelby County Sheriff To Start Training Teachers To Use Guns