Canadian County Sheriff’s Deputy, Lieutenant Jon Fincher recently completed a course of study with the Oklahoma School Security Institute (OSSI).  The training, which was made possible through the Oklahoma Department of Homeland Security, was a 24-hour course of study designed for law enforcement officers and aimed at identifying and deterring criminal activity targeting schools.

The OSSI curriculum focused on assisting officers in recognizing and identifying potential threats to school campuses, school parking lots, transportation facilities and administrative buildings.  Once a law enforcement officer completes the initial OSSI training, they become qualified to train other members of their respective agencies. Once a potential risk or vulnerability is identified, school district administrators are notified and work with law enforcement and other security specialists to identify appropriate solutions.

Fincher, who is assigned duties as the supervisor of the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office, Juvenile Resources Division, oversees Sheriff’s Deputies working as School Resource Officers with Yukon, El Reno, Mustang and Riverside Independent school districts, as well as with Canadian Valley Technology Center, and Redlands Community College.  He also oversees and supervises deputies working as Juvenile Investigators with the Gary E. Miller Juvenile Justice Center.

The Canadian County Sheriff’s Office contracts annually with these institutions to safeguard students, schools, and their faculty members. Over the past seven (07) years, the number of deputies working in these assignments has more than doubled, and the Sheriff’s Office anticipates adding additional deputies this next fall.

“There were only two deputies working as school resource officers when I became sheriff, in 2017.  Over the past seven years, we’ve increased the number of schools we cover, including Mustang, Yukon, El Reno, Riverside and Redlands Community College and will have a total of thirteen full time SROs working by this fall,” said Chris West, Canadian County Sheriff.  We are very blessed to have someone as dedicated as Lieutenant Fincher working for us.  Jon does a great job leading the men and women in his unit, and now because of his training our students will be safer.”

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AUTHORITY: 

Chris West, Sheriff

Canadian County, Oklahoma