GILES COUNTY, Va. – Some local sheriff’s deputies are trying to make sure they are prepared to find people who go missing.
With what looks like a small TV antenna in hand, Giles County sheriff’s deputies set off down a hill Thursday morning.
”It’s very important to our community,” Giles County Sheriff Morgan Millirons said of the deputies’ training.
The equipment is used to find a member of the county’s Project Lifesaver program. The members wear a special bracelet that sends out a signal for law enforcement to track if they go missing.
“We do the training just to familiarize ourselves with the equipment, to make sure the equipment is running right. We just brush up on our skills,” said Millirons.
After a refresher in a classroom, the deputies put their skills to the test trying to find a deputy hiding in some trees.
”It’s kind of like they say about riding a bike. You don’t forget how to do it, but you can always get better at it,” Giles County Sheriff’s Deputy Maj. Scott Moye said.
Moye is thankful for the opportunity to train.
“When we have a scenario like this, or a situation like this, and it’s real life, seconds matter. So it’s important that we are as good as we can be,” said Moye.
Millirons said this training is not something that happens often.
“We do need to do it more. Everybody needs to participate more. We’re trying to get more officers in the county here involved in it,” Millirons said.
Deputies hope finding the time to train now will help them find someone in need of help down the road.
Other local law enforcement agencies also use the Project Lifesaver program. Contact your sheriff’s office or police department to find out how you can sign up.