Pictured from left to right is Bedford County Sgt. Tracey Harvey and L.E.A.D. Director of Training Operations, Kim Lay, at L.E.A.D.’s ninth annual 21st Century Drug and Violence Prevention Training Conference
Tracey Harvey, sergeant at Bedford County Sheriff’s Office, was awarded “Tennessee Instructor of the Year” from L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence), a nationwide nonprofit that works with communities to help students understand the dangers of drugs and violence. Sgt. Harvey was presented with the award at L.E.A.D.’s ninth annual 21st Century Drug and Violence Prevention Training Conference in Orlando, Florida, due to her excellent work educating students on the proven effective curriculum implemented by L.E.A.D. during the school day.
“We congratulate Sgt. Harvey on her outstanding job helping to bridge the gap between police officers and the community in Bedford County. Her award is well deserved,” said Nick DeMauro, CEO of L.E.A.D. Sgt. Harvey’s dedication to teaching children about the importance of drug and violence prevention is helping us to continue accomplishing our goal of strengthening police-community relationships.”
L.E.A.D. provides services “On The Street” and “In The Classroom” as it brings law enforcement and communities closer together. The “In The Classroom” program is taught by more than 5000 trained instructors in 45 states, who are serving more than 500,000 students in 2,500 school systems. L.E.A.D. has an effective, law enforcement-focused, anti-drug, anti-violence curriculum for K–12 students in the U.S. The L.E.A.D. curriculum is taught over the course of a 10-week program to educate youth on how they can make smart decisions without the involvement of drugs or violence.
Sgt. Harvey helped implement L.E.A.D. in Bedford County and has also assisted in training other police officers to become L.E.A.D. instructors like herself. Last school year, the L.E.A.D. curriculum was taught to approximately 400 fifth-grade students at Cascade Elementary School, Community Elementary School, and Liberty School. This coming fall, the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office hopes to implement the program in every elementary school in Bedford County.
L.E.A.D. allows students to spend time with their SROs and get to see them on a different level, which is one of the several aspects about the program that the children enjoy, says Sgt. Harvey.
“Although police officers are just like anyone else, sometimes it’s hard for kids to understand that as they normally see us in environments where we have to act more strictly,” said Sgt. Harvey. “They’re receptive to seeing us outside of school, but since they get to see us in a different, more personal light as their L.E.A.D. instructor, it’s easier for them to form a bond with us in the classroom.”
“Another part of the program that the kids like are the activities that are incorporated into the curriculum,” she added. “While they’re participating in them and having fun, they don’t realize that they’re learning at the same time.”
Sgt. Harvey believes that the relationship the students build with their L.E.A.D. instructors is part of the reason that helps the children to stay away from things like alcohol and drugs.
“The students know that if we happened to catch them breaking the rules, we would be let down,” she said. “Just as the kids don’t want to disappoint their parents, they don’t want to disappoint the people who spent 10 weeks with them in the classroom, helping them to understand how becoming involved with drugs and violence would be a major hindrance in achieving their goals.”
“We become the person for some of the children who don’t have someone that they can look up to and want to make proud,” added Sgt. Harvey.
About L.E.A.D.
L.E.A.D. provides the leadership, resources, and management to ensure law enforcement agencies have the means to partner with educators, community leaders, and families. L.E.A.D. succeeds by providing proven effective programs to deter youth and adults from drug use, drug-related crimes, bullying, and violence. L.E.A.D. is committed to reinforcing the mutual respect, goodwill, and relations between law enforcement and their communities. For more information, visit https://www.leadrugs.org/.
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