Tag Archives: dickson

Community, D.A.R.E., Feature

D.A.R.E.

Drug Abuse Resistance Education

The Sheriff’s Office is committed to educating students on the consequences of drug use and bullying.
These officers are the backbone of the D.A.R.E. program in area schools.

 

2012 TDOA State Training Conference at Paris Landing State Park – Thursday, July 12, 2012

(L to R) two DARE Role models from Henry County, Brianne Smith – DARE Youth Advisory Board Member, Bruce Alexander – Henry County School Resource Officers, Kim Smith – McKenzie School teacher, and Carroll County Sheriff Andy Dickson. 

 D.A.R.E. – May 9, 2012 – Clarksburg Essay Winner and Runner-up with Carroll County Sheriff Andy Dickson and Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Becky Keith.

  D.A.R.E. – May 9, 2012 – Clarksburg Fifth Grade class, with teacher Janice Lewis.

 D.A.R.E. – March 2, 2012 – West Carroll Fifth Grade winners with Tennessee State Trooper Michael Sullivan and Public Information Officer Becky Keith. D.A.R.E. – March 2, 2012 – West Carroll Fifth Grade runner-ups with Tennessee State Trooper Michael Sullivan and Public Information Officer Becky Keith.

Substance Abuse Fact Sheet

The leading surveys indicate a serious drug problem among today’s youth. Though trends of illicit drug use have leveled off in the last ten years, efforts to prevent substance abuse are still imperative. Successes such as the recent decline in youth tobacco use are important milestones for the prevention community.

  • By the time a youth graduates from the 12th grade, there is a fifty percent chance that he or she has tried an illicit substance at least once.
  • Adolescents who use alcohol and drugs are more likely to be victims or perpetrators of violence, engage in unplanned and unprotected sex, experience school failure, or be seriously injured from driving while impaired.
  • Adolescents who use alcohol or illegal drugs are more likely to be at risk for suicide.
  • Students who drink alcohol during adolescence have a reduced ability to learn, compared withthose youth who do not drink until adulthood. (Age-Dependent Inhibition Study)
  • Alcohol and drug use are associated with poor academic performance, impaired development,mental health issues, and many other problems that affect youth.
  • Recent findings regarding adolescent drug and alcohol use reveal that: 1) marijuana remains the most widely used illicit drug; 2) the illegal use of alcohol by minors is common; and 3) the use of drugs such as Ecstasy and steroids are rising. (2001 Monitoring the Future)

 

Monitoring the Future Survey1

  • According to the 2001 Study, at least half of all youth have at least tried illicit drugs, alcohol, or tobacco by the time they finish high school.
  • Six of ten 12th grade students report having been drunk at least once in their lifetime.
  • One out of every four graduating high school seniors uses an illicit substance on a current or pastmonth basis. One in five use marijuana regularly.
  • More than one quarter of 8th graders has used an illicit drug in their lifetime; about half of 10th graders and 12th grades have done so.
  • Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug among all three grades, 9.2% of 8th graders, 19.8% of 10th graders, and 22.4% of 12th graders are current users.
  • MDMA (ecstasy) has been one of the most rapidly rising drugs of abuse among youth in recent years – lifetime use among 12th graders doubled from 1998 to 2001.
  • Unlike other drugs, inhalants are more frequently used by the youngest students, 4.0% percent of 8th graders are current users of inhalants, compared with 2.4% of 10th graders and 1.7% of 12th graders.
1 The Monitoring the Future (MTF) study, a school-based survey of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders conducted by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, is an important source of information on drug use among youth. The MTF has been collecting detailed information on drug use, drug-related attitudes and beliefs, and related factors on 12th graders since 1975 and on 8th and 10th graders since 1991. Selected findings from the 2001 survey are presented. 

 Additional Resources

 Visit the TDOA website to learn about the Tennessee D.A.R.E. officers program  Click here  
Visit the state of Tennessee’s drug prevention website  Click here
Learn about the deadly effects of methamphetamine and the battle to eradicate its use.  Click here

Community, Feature

Community Focus

Throughout the year, the Sheriff’s Office puts time,
money and effort into helping the community.

Below are a few projects in which the officers have participated.

 

Toys For Tots

The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with the United States Marine Corp, collects toys and distributes them around Carroll County to needy children. In 2011, 253 needy children were helped. Drop off locations were set up around the county to collect toys.  Private monetary donations were made to help purchase additional toys.

During the first year of the program, ten children were helped. During the second year, approximately 100 children were provided toys.  The program continues to grow with the help of a strong, giving community.

To learn more about this cause, visit www.toysfortots.org.  To find out how you can get involved in the local chapter of this cause, contact the Sheriff’s Office, 731-986-8947.

 

 

 

 

Shop with a Cop

Sheriff Andy Dickson and deputies A.J. Butcher and Terry Herndon shop for a young child.

Law Enforcement Officers Help 77 Children with “Shop With a Cop”

December 16, 2010

          HUNTINGDON (December 16) Law enforcement officers helped 77 kids in the county with the “Shop With A Cop” program at Wal-Mart-Huntingdon.
Randy Kelly said a total of 27 law enforcement officers “shopped” with children to provide much needed Christmas presents. Kelly said the children purchased clothes, toys, and gifts for their brothers and sisters and parents.
Officers, with calculators in hand, kept the children on budget as they accompanied the children in the store.
Each child had a $125 budget for the items. Officers from Hollow Rock, Bruceton, Carroll County Sheriff’s Department, Trezevant, Clarksburg, and even one Jackson PD officer helped with the shopping.
Kelly said he and Officer Joey Hedge were injured earlier this year after responding to a freak accident in Bruceton where a monument fell on a boy. While off work, Kelly and Hedge decided to restart the Shop With A Cop program, which had previously been run by the local state troopers.
Kelly and Hedge and other officers requested donations from businesses, industries and individuals. A total of $10,321 was raised through solicitation.
Every child also received a new Bible, said Kelly. “We wanted to keep Christ in Christmas,” said the officer.
Every participating family went through an application process. Those applicants receiving gifts from other organized efforts were asked not to apply.
Kelly thanked the donors for their gifts of money. “Without the generosity of business, industries and individuals, this would not have been possible,” said Kelly.
McKenzie Fire Department and Police Department are conducting a separate campaign to provide for the children’s needs.

 

 

 Inmates Give Back to the Community

 

Jail Trustees Help with Habitat House

November 21, 2011

          MCKENZIE – Carroll County Jail trustees helped install vinyl siding at the Habitat for Humanity house being constructed at 15 Donnell Street, McKenzie. Sheriff Andy Dickson and Chief Deputy Kent Smith stand with the trustees at the work site.
The Sheriff’s Department contacted Habitat to volunteer the inmate labor. The home will be sold to Adam and Jessica Ezell with a zero interest loan. A formal dedication of the home is December 4.
The Dickson administration has assigned trustee inmates to assist with governmental and non-profit agencies to provide no-cost labor. Most notably, the trustees have assisted the city of McKenzie, town of Huntingdon, and the county of Carroll on several work projects. Trustees earn time-for-time for their work in the community. For each day of work, the court has authorized a day of reduced sentence. Sheriff Dickson said the trustees are non-violent offenders and earned the privilege of working in the community. Trustees are rewarded with a reduced sentence for good work and good behavior. However, the reduced sentence can be negated if the inmate ‘messes up’ later, said the sheriff.
“I am tickled to death with the program,” said Sheriff Dickson, who noted the inmates enjoy working and being able to give back to the community. “They have a sense of self-worth,” said the sheriff.

About Us, Feature

Meet the Sheriff

 

      I am a college graduate from the University of Tennessee at Martin, with a Major in Natural Resource Management with a minor in Criminal Justice. I am Post and Meth Lab Certified. I have been to Domestic Violence training and numerous other specialized schools to further my knowledge in dealing with issues related to our Sheriff’s Department. While working with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department for the past twenty years, I have had the opportunity to serve my community in many capacities. I started as a volunteer in the Reserve Program before gaining full time employment as a jailor. I went on to hold the position of Road Deputy, Canine Deputy, Shift Sergeant, Narcotics Investigator and night shift supervisor. With this experience, I feel that I am best suited to handle the duties of Sheriff of Carroll County, Tennessee.

      I have an interest in the youth of Carroll County. I have three sons: Adam, 24, a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and currently employed as a Human Behavior Lab Supervisor at UTK; Cole, 10, a fourth grader at Huntingdon Primary School; and Jacob, 7, and is a first grader at Huntingdon Primary School. I attend First Baptist Church in Huntingdon. My wife, Lisa, and I teach a fourth grade boys Sunday school class with another church member, and classes can reach up to 17 students sometimes. I have taken an active role in Vacation Bible School and as a member of the Security Team. 

I am enjoying serving the citizens of Carroll County. Thank you.

The Sheriff was elected in the fall of 2010.