By Staff
INTENSIVE TRAINING Four local law enforcement officers completed an intensive six-week course in traffic accident reconstruction and took a final test Friday. Jonathan DeBord, from left, of the Meridian Police Department, was the instructor for the class that included MPD patrolman Scott Self; Deputy John Griffith, of the Clarke County Sheriff's Department; Cpl. William Brunelle, of MPD; and Deputy Greg Crain, of the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department. PHOTO BY KEITH MCCARY / SPECIAL TO THE STAR
By Fredie Carmichael/staff writer
March 2. 2002
Greg Crain nervously punched numbers into his graphing calculator in a nearly empty classroom on Friday, working to reconstruct the scene of a traffic accident.
Crain and three other local law enforcement officers were trying to complete their training to become certified experts in traffic accident reconstruction. The training, which included advanced mathematics classes, took place at the Meridian/Lauderdale County Public Safety Training Facility on Sand Flat Road.
Crain, a deputy with the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department, is hoping he'll complete training that he started nearly eight years ago.
The four remained in contention for the certification on Friday after six weeks of intense training. Jonathan DeBord, of the Meridian Police Department, instructed the class, which initially included 14 students.
If the four officers from the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department, Meridian Police Department and Clarke County Sheriff's Department pass their final test, they will be the first class to graduate and become certified through the courses at the training center.
During the instruction, DeBord said the officers learn how to use math and physics to recreate traffic accidents and calculate the approximate speed of the vehicles at the time of the crash.
Capt. Keith McCary of the MPD, said he hopes to have a second round of courses beginning in April.
Crain is just ready to finish the testing.
The results of their final tests were not available at press time Friday but are expected to be known within a few days.