Participants in the June 10 firearm safety instructor course include: Back row: From left, Deputy Sheriff Todd Anderson, Saline County; Thomas Colatrella and Larry Griffey, Federal Law Enforcement Services; Lt. David Dennis and Det. Loren Pope, Christian County Sheriff's Dept; Deputy Sheriff Scott Taylor, Warren County; Sgt. Kimberly Poynter, Hamilton PD; Investigator Lloyd Lyon, U.S. Investigative Services; Chief of Police Steven Gordon, Waverly PD; Mayor Steven Carter, Diamond. Front row: From left, Officer Roger Gibson, Marshall PD; Chief of Police Keith Brumfield, Diamond PD; Lt. Tony White and Det. Bob Csukker, Oak Grove PD; Officer Jerry Owens, Holden PD; Deputy Sheriff Emmit Williams, Saline County (also Marshall Police Reserve Officer); Capt. Steven Davis, Slater PD; Sheriff Wally George; and Jim Simmerman. Not pictured: Chief of Police Aaron Walker, Buffalo PD; Joseph Peters and Vince Domrose of Immediate Response Group, Republic. (Contributed photo) [Click to enlarge]

For former Marshall Police Chief Jim Simmerman, law enforcement and education have always gone hand-in-hand.

Concurrent with his 25-year career as Marshall's police chief he served as owner and director of Creative Management Consultants, a firm specializing in training on a variety of criminal justice and forensic topics, according to his resume.

After retiring from the police department May 5, Simmerman turned his full attention to education, starting the Saline County Criminal Justice Training Center in cooperation with Saline County Sheriff Wally George.

In exchange for an office in the Saline County Justice Center, Simmerman provides free training to Marshall and Saline County law enforcement officers.

George said when Simmerman approached him about the idea, he leaped at the chance.

"Jim is one of the most professional, knowledgeable law enforcement trainers I know," George said. "He's a spectacular instructor."

The arrangement is a practical boon to the sheriff's department, according to George. His staff has to participate in required training in order to keep their credentials current, and in the past, officers had to travel all over the state to attend training seminars.

"I'm saving about 95 percent of the out-of-county training," George said. And that means cost savings on meals, lodging and gasoline.

Simmerman's courses have been attended over the years by officers from counties all over Missouri and from states all over the country. He's even offered training to international law enforcement agencies.

Simmerman said Saline County may have the only sheriff's department in the state with a training center.

On May 22, Simmerman and Marshall police officer Roger Gibson conducted the first class at the newly-created center.

Courses taught included "Countering Counterfeit Currency," "Officer Safety -- Traffic Stops" and "Racial Profiling."

The training was attended by 10 law enforcement officers, including Chief Richard Downing and Officers Benjamin Burge, Tracy Garrison, Tammy Johnson, and Melvin Taber of the Sweet Springs Police Department; Officer Thomas Ryburn of the Marshall Police Department; and Deputy Sheriffs Todd Anderson, Leo Grothaus, Don Hudson and William Renken of the Saline County Sheriff's Department.

The next class that took place at the center was "Firearms Safety Instructor Training" June 10. Next up on the schedule is "Homicide Crime Scene Investigation (Part I)," which is scheduled for July 17.

For the Firearms Safety Instructor course Simmerman was joined by Marshall police officers Tom Ryburn and Roger Gibson in conducting the eight-hour course. Saline County Deputy Sheriff Greg Billingsley assisted with the range portion of the training at Bucksnort Shooting Range.

The training was attended by 19 individuals from throughout Missouri.

This was the ninth firearms safety instructor course taught under the direction of Simmerman since 2004.

The course objectives were to teach the attendees to be able to instruct handgun safety in the classroom, at home, on the firing range and while carrying the firearm.

The course also covered how to safely load and unload a revolver and semi-automatic pistol and demonstrate marksmanship with both.

Topics also included care and cleaning of concealable firearms and safe storage of firearms at home.

The requirements in Missouri for obtaining a certificate of qualification for a concealed carry endorsement from the sheriff of the individual's county of residence and a concealed carry endorsement issued by the Department of Revenue are covered.

The course also covers laws relating to firearms, the laws relating to the justifiable use of force, a live firing exercise, and live fire test, according to Simmerman.

In addition to "Homicide Crime Scene Investigation, Part I," the following list of courses will be offered at the center in 2008:

--"Law Enforcement Continuing Education" (4 Continuing Education Hour or CEHs) July 24;

--"Rapid Response to the Active Shooter;"

--"Officer Safety III (Cell Phone Shooting);"

--"Arrest and Detention of Foreign Nationals;"

--"Racial Profiling III."

--"Law Enforcement Instructor Development Training" (40 CEHs) Aug. 4, 5, 14, 15, 16;

--"Homicide Crime Scene Investigation, Part II," (7 CEHs) Sept. 11.

Anyone interested in attending these classes should contact Jim Simmerman at the Sheriff's Department 660-886-5512 or by e-mail to jsimmerm@leo.gov.

Contact Eric Crump at marshalleditor@scoket.net