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Officer involved shootings in GA is a rising problem

Lily Pruitt Asst. News Editor

Georgia was ranked number 3 out of US states for killings of law enforcement in 2021, which was tied with Florida for the number 2 ranking. On September 2nd, an officer in Baldwin County was involved in a shooting, but thankfully he was not injured. On September 8th, two officers died in the line of fire while serving a police warrant in Cobb County. Police officer-involved shootings are becoming more frequent and more dangerous for law enforcement. Thankfully, GC police have not been victims of any fatal interactions with armed suspects, but that is not true for Baldwin County Police or the GBI. Just this month, the GBI has been investigating 9 officer-involved shootings. The local office for the GBI, as well as the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, works closely with the school when events like an armed suspect are on campus, or a potential threat is induced. Director of Public Safety for GC and Chief of Police, Brett Stanelle refers to all threats as the same. It could be anything from someone with a knife to someone with a firearm, but their priority is to stop the threat so that the healing process can begin. The numbers for officer-related shootings in GA have differed every year, just as it has in Milledgeville. There is no rhyme or reason as to how, when, or how of-

ten they occur. However, there are many different perspectives to on the number of law enforcement deaths and if they are to continue to rise in the future months. “There is some truth to the ‘greatest predictor of future behavior is past behavior’ but it’s been my experience during my career that those numbers fluctuate,” said Brett Stanelle, GC Chief of Police. “I do personally expect the number of law enforcement deaths to continue rising because of the risk incurred by officers responding to dangerous calls,” said a GBI intern. “Some risks officers face on a regular basis is unavoidable. I think with emphasis being

placed on training for officers’ de-escalation techniques and abilities that the number of shootings has the potential to decrease. Training will produce more competent officers and over time can help restore public faith in law enforcement.” Protocol all over the country differs when it comes to law enforcement being in dangerous situations with a person with a firearm. Situations such as the shooting at Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, University of Oakland, Sandy Hook Elementary School, Stoneman Douglas High School (known as Sandy Hook) and so many more, have opened the eyes of law enforcement

and what kind of measures they need to take to ensure the safety of students and themselves. Some have initiated different protocols such as double entry doors to schools, automated locked doors with the push of a single button, student drills, and officer training. Many are working towards these protocols as soon as possible. “As buildings are being renovated or as we see new constructions like the new science center, you’re seeing more security technology go into those buildings. Doors are more automated but depending on the nature of the building that may dictate what type of technology goes

in there, even if you’re talking about access control,” Stanelle said. The intern agreed that mandating training for officers to make them better equipped to handle dangerous situations could help lower the frequency of shootings. Training law enforcement could increase their knowledge of all situations, increase the depth of training they go into, and help with de-escalation techniques. Time is not on any officer’s side. They have to go directly to any threat as fast as they can and assess and stop the threat. Many officers in law enforcement have frequently been training for potential threats using web-based training, which serves the purpose it is intended for, but when officers have to respond to a threat of violence, Chief Stanelle would like to see more officers training their de-escalation skills through scenario-based training. Many officers must react in an instant when put in dangerous situations and putting them through real-life scenario-based trainings for these types of situations helps their levels of thinking and processing information faster, which in the long run would help them in a real-life situation. “Training is a huge part of being more efficient and effective,” said Stanelle. Overall, it is important to be prepared in any way possible for any potential situations that could end up being dangerous. GC police work alongside Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the Milledgeville office of GBI to ensure that all students are safe on and off campus, and are on our side at every cost.

Claire O’Neill | Art Director

GC’s rising in mental illness

Drew Oldham Contributing Writer

It has been concluded in recent studies and in the CDC and WHO that mental health disorders are increasing in prevalence among college-aged students. The results concluded that over 60% of the college students sampled met the criteria for at least one mental illness in 2021, which is double the amount it was in previous years. However, a good finding was that the results clearly indicate that difficulties with mental health are pointing to a more latent positive shift in social paradigms. It appears that college students are becoming more willing to discuss the issues that plague their minds with certified health professionals and receive much needed, and potentially life-saving treatment. “On a more positive note, I think the fact that students are becoming more willing to come in and seek professional counseling has to do with mental health becoming less stigmatized than it used to be,” said GC counselor Pamela Jones. “People are more comfortable coming in and are willing to seek help for the problems they are encountering.” The month of September is National Suicide Prevention month, which creates an escalated sense of importance around the topic of mental health. It is only natural with the increase of mental illness among students, that the month’s events in favor of prevention have become increasingly popular. Despite the growing frequency of mental health disorders among college aged students, GC counseling services offer a diverse array of effective resources for students. These include cognitive behavioral intervention where talk therapy and medicinal treatment are both employed in an effort to treat students. Standard talk therapy is a therapy which utilizes traditional one on one counseling. Crisis services are also offered, which allows the university to handle students that pose a potential danger to themselves or those around them. These resources allow students to flourish both academically and emotionally and emerge from therapy improved in many facets of life in comparison to the day they started. Many students seem to praise the resources available to them. “I think the GC mental health resources are very adequate, my therapist and psychiatrist are easy to contact, and I think that having a diagnosis helped me understand myself better,” said sophomore political science major Kylie Rowe. GC counseling services are fully staffed with certified professionals including licensed counselors, a Doctor of Psychology, and a fulltime psychiatrist to ensure the university is capable of providing a wide variety of treatment options for students with diverse needs within the university. Pamela Jones encourages students to pick up a Mental Health Resource Handbook published by GC counseling services. This handbook provides critical details and contact information for a variety of mental health resources provided on campus, locally, and even access information for several national crisis hotlines. This will give students access to all possible resources to ensure they get treatment and care that is right for them. “Students need to understand that a variety of communal and national resources exist beyond just what is offered by counseling services, there are\resources such as Rivers Edge and (if a situation is urgent) the ER at Atrium,” said Jones. Although the services provided here at GC have clearly helped students, Jones recognizes that not all people respond equally to the same method or style of treatment or counseling. She outlines a variety of options and providers students can seek help from to find a method of aid that is optimal for them. “I was recently diagnosed with ADHD and have worked with a school therapist and the school’s psychiatrist on ways to improve my academic performance and day-to-day life,” said sophomore accounting major, Alyssa Baker. “I have seen good results so far and have not had any negative experiences to speak of.” Many students have seen the many methods the GC counseling services offer for mental health and have utilized the methods of intervention provided by GC. The issue of mental health among college students is not going away, but it is important to know that apt resources are available free of charge to any GC student who is struggling and in need of help.