Hamilton County, TN – On Tuesday, February 21, 2017 at 10:00 am, Sheriff Jim Hammond, HCDE Superintendent Dr. Kirk Kelly, and Judge Russell Bean, along with several members of the HCSO will conduct the 10th Sheriff's LAWS Program at Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences (CSAS).

The HCSO School LAWS Program is a new initiative started in 2016 and stands for "Law Enforcement Actively Working in Schools.”"This new and unique program was created by Sheriff Jim Hammond to increase law enforcement’s presence in our local schools in cooperation with the many programs already underway as part of the highly successful HCSO School Resource Officer (SRO) Program.

The Sheriff's School LAWS Program focuses on cultivating lines of communication between students and law enforcement by enabling Sheriff Hammond and Command Staff personnel to personally visit and tour our local schools and speak to students about the mission of the HCSO, the importance of being law abiding citizens and staying in school, and any serious issues students may be facing at that particular school. The program will also allow the Sheriff time to personally discuss individual school issues with the SRO and the school’s Principal.

The LAWS Program also includes mock exercises that allow students the opportunity to learn how proper vehicle stops are made and how to act appropriate when pulled over by law enforcement.

This program will be open to the media for those who wish to cover the event. The public portion of the event generally lasts (1) hour.

Media representatives who will be covering the event are requested to be at the school no later than 9:45 am for escort and set up in the auditorium.

Those wishing for interviews should plan on arriving early as the program will begin promptly at 10:00 am. There will be several opportunities for B-Roll during the program and the mock exercises. Interviews will also be available after the event.