C.E.R.T. Mission Statement

The purpose of the Chatham County Sherriff’s Corrections Emergency Response Team is to uphold and maintain good order and security of the Chatham County Detention Center, to prevent attacks and injuries to staff, or other persons, and to prevent escapes. In addition, C.E.R.T. is committed to Chatham County, and the continual safety of the inmates, staff, and the public within the confines of the Chatham County Detention Center. The philosophy of the C.E.R.T. team is predicated upon the following underlying assumptions.

• Incarceration is, in and of itself, punishment

• All members will be held continually accountable for their actions

• The team will be compromised of highly trained and motivated members who are capable of responding to the emergencies in a timely manner.

• The team is capable of handling ALL situations which pose a significant threat to the security and safety of the Chatham County Detention Center, its occupants, and the general public.

• The team will establish and maintain an image that will foster positive morale and confidence among the employees of the Sheriff’s Office.

The individual members and the C.E.R.T. Unit as a whole are committed to the preservation of the basic human rights and dignity of all citizens, as prescribed by the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the state of Georgia, and all applicable laws.

Historical Background

Statistically 99.5% of all inmate and officer interactions are dealt with through presence and dialogue. It is the other .5% that we must also train for and be prepared to handle in a professional, responsible, and tactful manner. It takes a "TEAM" of men and women given specialized training and equipment to develop these needed skills, to ensure that the integrity, safety, and security of those detained and employed are upheld

With constant pressure on the proper and judicious use of force against inmates by correction officers, from the administration, media, and lawyers, Correctional Emergency Response Teams (CERT) are becoming more necessary today than ever before.   Plus with the overcrowding situation, there is the potential for inmates to disrupt daily operations.  Although most situations can be handled by officers and supervisors, many cannot.  When it is apparent that there may be a condition developing that requires assistance, the CERT unit would be called. 

The Correction Division Emergency Response Team (CERT) was founded under the administration of Sheriff Al St. Lawrence. The Team was born of donated equipment, volunteered time and money, and many hours of hard work. It has evolved to be a well organized, equipped and trained tactical unit. The primary function of CERT is the immediate response and quelling of inmate disturbances, to protect the safety and security of all persons within the Chatham County Detention Center.  CERT plays an instrumental role in ensuring the facility's safe and orderly operations.

When things go bad inside the walls, the men and women in black armor are the ones to call!!!!!!

Policy

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office has established a Correctional Emergency Response Team, herein referred to as CERT, composed of Sheriff’s Correctional Officers and Deputy Sheriff’s assigned to the Corrections Bureau.  The CERT team operates by direction of the Sheriff, through the Jail Administrator.  Any activation or utilization of CERT must be authorized by the Jail Administrator or his designee.  The CERT team has been authorized to use force only as a last alternative after all other reasonable efforts to resolve a situation has failed.  When authorized, CERT operators will use only the reasonable amount of force necessary to gain control of the inmates, whereas to protect and ensure the safety of inmates, staff, civilian and prevent serious property damage.

Team Status

The Corrections Emergency Response Team is compromised of two teams; each team has eleven members plus a team leader for a total of twenty four members. 

Training

Per Department Policy each officer is required to obtain Forty hours of training per year on their own.  According to the American Corrections Association the CERT team as a whole must receive Forty hours of training per year.  The CERT team trains once a week for a total of eight hours a month. The following training was conducted over passed year.  The purpose of this training is to train the officers as a precise and competent unit that is able to handle virtually any type of correctional emergency and situation that could occur in an institution.

Training for the CERT team from November 2007 to October 2008

Specialized Training

In August of this of year, the CERT team learned how to fight a fire inside a correctional facility with help from our partners at the Savannah Fire Department. This training was held at the Savannah Fire Department Training Center.  This training was very realistic in nature. Team members had to strap on oxygen tanks and go into a burning building and put out a fire.  This training gave the CERT team the confidence that they can go inside a building filled with smoke and fire and still operate as a team.

In October of this year, the Cert team had its first class in becoming First Responders.  This is a 40 hour course and is taught at GPSTC at Forsyth.  The CERT team will receive the same instruction two hours a week for the next ten weeks.  At the end of the ten week period, the Sheriff’s Department will have twenty four new First Responders.

Physical Fitness Test

A physical fitness standard was established to determine which staff would be allowed on the team. The test consisted of a one mile run in less than ten minutes, twenty five sit-ups in two minutes, twenty five push- ups in two minutes, 300 meter run, drag one hundred and fifty pounds fifty yards with full gear, climb over a four foot obstacle with full gear.

Objectives

THE short term objectives for the CERT team next year will be to continue an image that will foster positive morale and confidence among the Employees of the Chatham County Sheriff’s Department and to continue to train for any type of situation which poses a significant threat to the safety and security of the Detention Center.  It is our goal in 2009 to test the CERT team by having a FULL Activation.  This means having a mock riot in the Gym.  Page all team members via pagemaster, time how long it takes for all team members to arrive, suit up and be prepared to engage. It is also our goal to be capable of responding to emergency situations that might arise during a Hurricane such as securing of the Detention Center, Prevent Looting, Crowed Control, and Search Rescue.

The long term objective for the CERT team is to train for a national competition that is held every year in West Virginia.  This competition is a mock riot featuring teams from across the nation. It also has a technology show featuring 64 stations filled with the latest equipment and technology available to corrections and law enforcement agencies in the areas of disturbance control. A Michigan Team tested and evaluated several technologies during their riot scenarios. This testing enables team members to evaluate the new equipment first hand and help to determine if it might be useful in their facilities.