Sheriff to serve on law enforcement training reform task force
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (Oct. 2, 2023) – Tuscarawas County’s sheriff is getting to help shape the future of law enforcement training in Ohio.
Attorney General Dave Yost has appointed Orvis Campbell to a new task force that will make recommendations for revamping the curriculum at the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy. Campbell is looking forward to weighing in on how to make continuing education for law enforcement officers across Ohio more engaging and effective.
“Honestly, I’m not much of an academic at heart. I just wanna make sure they understand what happens in the real world when you just set guys in front of a computer for 24 hours. It’s difficult to keep focus like that. And training’s a good thing but good training is a really good thing. When you do to a training class where you see a very committed instructor, it really can change you almost overnight.”
Yost named the first eight task force members earlier this month and said he wanted to bring a rural sheriff on board. Campbell says the chairman started calling and recommended him for the spot after speaking with two other interested sheriffs.
“I know both of them. They would have been great so it would have been good no matter what but I was happy to be chosen…
“Of course, this is my 30th year with the sheriff’s office, and I’ve had a lot of training over the years and graduated with the FBI Academy. So I think that’s part of what interested them is that I wasn’t just from a rural county but I had some advanced training from other areas, things that they could tap into for ideas.”
Campbell will serve on the task force alongside Stark County Sheriff George Maier, leaders from urban and small-town police departments, the state director of first responder wellness, and others. He says the panel will convene virtually initially but may move to Columbus or the training academy’s headquarters for future sessions.