Columbia County Sheriff's Regional Training Center

Mission Statement

The mission of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Regional

Training Center (RTC) is to provide a professional adult

learning atmosphere where all agencies of Georgia may

send their employees for training. All training at the

Columbia County Sheriff’s RTC will be conducted within

Georgia POST standards and will reflect the best practices

available in the industry. All adult learners and instructors

will be treated with respect and held to a standard of

conduct expected from a professional law enforcement

officer.

COlumbia County Sheriff's Office Regional Training Center

On December 14, 2023, Sheriff Clay Whittle achieved his long-standing goal of creating a Law Enforcement Regional Training Center at the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. The addition of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Regional Training Center allows us to conduct all state-required basic law enforcement, detention, and communications training here in Columbia County. We are also able to provide needed advanced and specialized training. Training held at the CCSO-RTC is open to all agencies throughout the state.

One of our most critical responsibilities in law enforcement is training. It is our duty to ensure students receive the most innovative and current training available. We must strive to stay current with ever-changing laws and provide this information to all law enforcement students. Our goal is to provide the citizens we serve with the best trained, most highly skilled, and ethical public servants possible.

CCSO-RTC facilities consist of:

18,000 sf. Multi-Purpose Building
100 Acre Drivers Training Multiplex
Four Classrooms
Live fire shoot house
50-yard pistol range
100-yard rifle range
300-yard rifle range
State of the art Judgmental Use of Force Simulator

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Regional Training Center is led by Captain Chris Railey. Lieutenant David Heaton, Staff Sergeant Dave Wheeler, Staff Sergeant Dale Newman, Instructor Keith Warner, Instructor Oleg Grinko, Instructor Greg Smith and Administrative Assistant Audrey Williamson complete the team. Together, they represent 170 years of policing experience. The CCSO-RTC team, along with adjunct instructors, ensure employees from all agencies receive critical training that meets the standards of the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council.

Driver's Training Multiplex

The Drivers Training Multiplex, which became fully operational in 2020, is comprised of a 1600-foot straightaway for braking exercises, a 1600-foot straightaway for off-road recovery exercises, a 400 by 600-foot reinforced concrete pad for multipurpose precision driving, two skid pads, and a road course designed for emergency vehicle response training. In addition, an asphalted area of intersecting roadways is designated for the future development of "little town."

Citizen's programs

The CCSO-RTC also conducts Teen Driver Training Programs throughout the year. The training consists of classroom and hands-on exercises for young drivers with at least three months of driving experience. The topics covered during the course include emergency braking, skid recovery, off-road recovery, and the dangers of driving distracted. Interested parties should select "Teen Driver" under the "Courses and Registration" section to register.

Citizen's Firearms Familiarization classes are conducted regularly throughout the year. Topics covered include classroom instruction on Georgia law pertaining to the use of force and weapons carry. The fundamentals of shooting are covered, and participants are allowed to apply those fundamentals on the range with the assistance of a range safety officer. For more information, please contact the Sheriff's Office Community Services Division at 706-541-2856.

The Citizens Law Enforcement Academy is a program designed to give Columbia County residents an insight into the everyday operations of the Sheriff's Office. Participants will hear presenters from each of the divisions of the Sheriff's Office including: the Patrol Division, the Special Operations Division, the Detention Center, Investigations, and the 911 Center. They will also have firearms training which will include live fire on the Sheriff's Office shooting range. This "free" course is offered each Thursday evening (6:30 pm to 9 pm) for 10 weeks, and is open to Columbia County residents 18 years of age and older. Please see the Community Services Division Calendar for future academy dates. Anyone interested in attending the class should contact the Sheriff's Office Community Services Division at 706-541-2856 or view more information at the Citizen's Law Enforcement Academy Page. To view all public education programs, please visit the Community Services Division Page.

For more information on Reserve Deputy Training, please contact the Columbia County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) Community Services Division at 706-541-2856.

The first Columbia County Sheriff's Office Reserve Unit began their service in April 1993. Since that time, over 200 men and women have participated in the program. The Reserve Unit saves our taxpayers thousands of dollars each year. There are currently 16 Reserve Officers serving the CCSO, and these officers have the exact same responsibilities and authority as full time paid officers. In 2022 their combined total hours were 1,931. They volunteer their time in all areas of the Sheriff's Office, including Patrol, Investigations, Vice and Narcotics, Special Operations, and the Detention Center.

Any person desiring to join the CCSO's Reserve Unit must satisfactorily complete the State of Georgia Mandate Course to become a Certified Peace Officer.

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