The Leadership Hardin County Class learned about Law and Justice on April 12th. The day was interesting and informative and was arranged for us by Judge Kim Shumate.
The day started at the Elizabethtown Justice Center with a light breakfast including a special treat of baked goods made for us by Judge Kim Shumate. Judge Shumate gave us an intro and overview of the agenda. Her opening statement was “Not all in our community is nice, we will see the other side today and maybe it will cause us to seek ways to help the other side”. Next, we were honored by a Law Enforcement Roundtable consisting of leaders of all the local law enforcement agencies including Fort Knox and a Detective from the Drug Task Force. They talked about how they live a “normal life” in the community they lead and protect. Questions included: Why do some officers speed through town with their lights off? How do all of your agency’s work together and help each other out when needed? Is there an increase in drugs and human trafficking during high volume times like the Derby? How has social media changed their departments for the better and the worse? Do they have the backlash in Hardin County that is seen in other places around the US? Another item discussed was how social media can help and hurt law enforcement efforts.
We visited the District Courtroom to watch Judge John Simcoe conduct video arraignments for people that had been arrested the night before. We also witnessed two live arraignments.
Katie Matherly, a local high school student, gave the group an overview of Teen Court. Teens who have committed minor offenses can go through the court process with their peers performing all the court duties except there is an actual judge. The prosecutors tend to use information which the person has put on social media to try to win the case and the defender uses information such as grades and attendance records.
Deputy Chief David Fegett and Deputy Chief Kelly Sloan conducted the group tours of the Elizabethtown Police Station. Highlights of the tour were the Simulator Shoot Room where the officers go through practice scenarios to help their reflexes stay sharp and the fitness room to help them stay in shape to meet the yearly physical standards. We also learned about the Unity Team that is made up of local Church Leaders to help with crises in the community. Another interesting program is the Citizen’s Police Academy which is 8 weeks long and is offered twice a year. We were told that if possible in a non-life threatening situation, it is best to call E’town PD directly before dialing 911.
A wonderful lunch was served at Roxies. Paul Delaney informed the group about the Passport Health Plan along with some good information about Leadership and what it takes to be a good leader. Before returning to the Elizabethtown Justice Center, we discussed the Class Project to support the Secondhand First Impressions professional clothing closet. On Saturday, April 14, there was a collection spot set up at the Historic State Theater during Second Saturday and classmates were needed to transport clothing and to help with the collection. There will also be baskets set up at our graduation to collect clothing.
The afternoon was spent learning about the different agencies and alternative programs which assist youth who need help while keeping them out of a detention center. We heard from representatives from JDAI (Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative) and BRIDGES, which is Restorative Justice for Youth. We also were presented with information on Kentucky Specialty Courts including Drug Court, Mental Health Court, and Veterans Treatment Court.
The District, Circuit, and Family Court Judges along with the County Attorney and the Commonwealth Attorney all met with us and explained their responsibility in the court system. You could see how passionate they are about their positions and the shared priority they all have is to make sure the best possible outcome for everyone is achieved in each case.
The last stop of the day was an exciting tour of the Hardin County Detention Center.
Debbie Howell
Human Resource Administrator
270-765-2181 ext 155
dhowell@swope.com
Swope Family of Dealerships
1100 North Dixie Avenue
Elizabethtown, KY 42701
Laurie Loos
Member Service Representative
270-765-8659 ext 8713
lbloos@fortknoxfcu.net
Fort Knox Federal Credit Union
1109 North Dixie
Elizabethtown, KY 42701
Dawne Swank
T.K. Stone Principal
270-769-6343
dawne.swank@etown.kyschools.us
Elizabethtown Independent Schools
323 Morningside Drive
Elizabethtown, KY 42701