The Training, Professional Development and Support Services Division encompasses a wide scope of activities which support the work of all other Divisions and contribute to the effectiveness of the organization.

This division is led by Captain Jim Hodgson, who has served with the BCSO since June of 1987. Capt. Hodgson began his law enforcement service career in 1974, as a Public Safety Officer with the University of Georgia Police Department. Over the past 34 years he has served in a variety of patrol, investigative, and management assignments with agencies in Georgia and Tennessee. In his tenure with the BCSO, he has fulfilled a number of management and administrative roles. In September 2006 he was selected as the agency’s accreditation manager, and continues to perform those duties in addition to others incumbent upon his current position. He is also a POST certified training instructor in multiple areas, and teaches a number of in-service and specialized training courses.

Capt. Hodgson is a cum laude graduate of Cleveland State Community College and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and received his Master of Science in Public Administration degree from Los Angeles University. In 2000, he became Tennessee=s first county law enforcement official to earn the Certified Public Administrator designation from the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service. He is a graduate of many nationally recognized law enforcement, corrections, management and instructor training programs, including studies at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, the National Crime Prevention Institute, and National Institute of Corrections. In 1995 he completed the Southern Police Institute=s Advanced Administrative Officers Course at the University of Louisville.

Capt. Hodgson is a member of the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Officers Association and the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association.

In his capacity as BCSO’s CALEA Accreditation Manager, Capt. Hodgson is responsible for the development of policies, procedures and processes intended to ensure agency compliance with approximately 450 management standards established by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, an international accrediting body created in 1979. BCSO is in the first year of a three-year self-assessment process leading to accreditation.

In addition to managing Accreditation, Capt. Hodgson provides guidance and oversight to the other operational components of the Division, including:

• Law Enforcement Training, headed up by Lt. Eddie Scoggins, who also coordinates the Bradley County Sheriff’s Citizen Academy (soon to be announced) and supervises the BCSO Honor Guard in addition to his training duties. The training Unit also ensures that the agency achieves and maintains compliance with all state Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission standards for training certification. Lt. Scoggins has been involved in law enforcement training since the 1970s.
  
  
• The Corrections Training function, coordinated by Sgt. Gwen Beavers, who ensures Corrections Training compliance with Tennessee Corrections Institute standards, and also serves as the agency National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Terminal Agency Coordinator. Sgt Beavers has extensive experience in jail operations and has completed instructor training at the National Institute of Corrections.
  
  The training staff also coordinates the scheduling of the BCSO’s two training centers, the North Training Center and the South Training Center. These two training centers are equipped with the latest video and audio technology, and have opened up new opportunities for the training staff to offer the best in law enforcement and corrections training to our employees and personnel from other departments
  
  Law enforcement personnel can use this link to access the LETN site.
  
  
• Information Technology / Computer Systems coordinator, Lt. Jeff Liner, manages our internal Records Management System and Mobile Data System, and generally troubleshoots a myriad of computer issues through out the agency. Lt. Liner has served the BCSO for more than twenty years and also has experience in jail operations and management.
  
  
• The Crime Prevention program and Wellness and Fitness program are both managed by Sgt. Yvonne Johnson. The Crime Prevention program emphasizes a proactive approach to securing property and protecting lives. The Wellness and Fitness program encourages officers to pursue a regimen of nutrition and exercise to maintain a reasonable level of fitness, and holds officers accountable for participating in regular evaluations of fitness. Sgt Johnson also serves as a School Resource Officer, in addition to her duties in these two programs.
  
  
• Fleet Services, Building Maintenance, Security Systems Management, and Search and Rescue Operations are supervised by Lt. Mike Boggess. Lt. Boggess joined the BCSO in 1988 and has served in a variety of assignments. Lt. Boggess’ breadth of knowledge concerning radio systems and other electronic equipment, in addition to his law enforcement experience, make him an especially valuable resource for the agency. Fleet Services keeps our more than 125 agency vehicles maintained and repaired, ready to handle the rigors of police operations. The Garage/Maintenance staff also performs maintenance functions for the entire Justice Complex. Search and Rescue Operations are conducted in cooperation with the Patrol Division and CID, and this function coordinates availability of additional staff assistance and equipment, including the agency’s Mobile Command Post vehicle, in these cases.
  
  
• Day to day supervision of the BCSO budgets is provided by Mrs Debbie Day. Mrs. Day submits agency purchase order requests to Captain Hodgson for approval, and coordinates purchase orders with the County Mayor’s office and acts as the agency’s “Accounts Payable” coordinator. She also tracks all budget expenditures and assists with the preparation of the annual budgets. Also under her supervision is the Benefits and Payroll Coordinator, who additionally assists with a variety of steps in the hiring process.
  
  
• Mrs. Cathy Ruth serves as the Administrative Supervisor and Front Desk receptionist for the agency. Cathy, who has also served for more than twenty years, supervises the agency’s Reporting Agency Coordinator for the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System (TIBRS), and the agency’s Property / Inventory Coordinator.

As you can see, this division is a busy place with a lot going on, even though most of its functions are “behind the scenes” and not commonly in the public eye. The personnel of this division take great pride in their work and in their contribution to making the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office the best that it can be.