Law Enforcement Officers Join Students For A Day Of Learning

    BLAST (Building Lasting Relationships Between Police and Community) Program
Brings Law Enforcement and Communities Together

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Four of the region’s top law enforcement officials will speak with students
at Rickards High School this Wednesday, November 6, as part of the police- community BLAST Program.
United States Attorney Lawrence Keefe, Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil, Tallahassee Police Chief
Steve Outlaw, and State Attorney Jack Campbell all will participate in the BLAST event that offers
students an opportunity to meet representatives of the criminal justice community to ask questions,
share their perceptions of law enforcement, and positively interact in a familiar setting.

During the four-hour program at Rickards, law enforcement officers will provide students with their
perspective on responding to dangerous or uncertain circumstances and the importance of remaining
calm and following the officers’ directions in these situations. Members of the media are welcome
to attend and photograph/video most demonstrations of the BLAST (Building Lasting Relationships
Between Police and Community) Program demonstrations.

“This laudable program encourages productive interactions between citizens and officers to improve
our community,” said Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida,
who will be one of the participants in the Tallahassee program. “Public safety is significantly
enhanced when residents and law enforcement work as partners, and the BLAST Program is an excellent
way to replace misgivings and apprehension with familiarity and trust.”

Agencies participating in the program include the ATF, DEA, FBI, United States Marshals Service,
United States Secret Service, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the Tallahassee Police
Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol.

Event:                         BLAST Program

Location:            James S. Rickards High School 3013 Jim Lee Road Tallahassee, FL 32301

Date:                           Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Time:                          9:15 am – 1:30 pm EST

Media:                       Please RSVP to USAFLN.Press.Office@usdoj.gov if you plan to attend.

The BLAST Program schedule will include the following discussion sessions, during which students
will have a chance to participate in role-play with law enforcement officers. (Students with media
permissions will be identified.)

• Federal Crimes Scenario: Students will evaluate video scenarios and learn about each phase of a
federal criminal case, including investigation, prosecution, and sentencing. This session is open
to the media, and videography and photography are permitted.

•  Domestic Violence Response / K-9 Demonstration: Students will participate in a scenario in which law enforcement officers respond to a domestic disturbance. Discussion includes the challenges
officers’ face, rights of witnesses and suspects, and benefits of providing information to law enforcement.
This session is open to the media, and videography and photography are permitted.

• Traffic Stop Simulation: Students and officers engage, alternating the roles of civilians and
officers, conducting a traffic stop. Discussion includes de-escalation and the uncertainty officers
and vehicle occupants face during a traffic stop.
This session is open to the media, and videography and photography are permitted.

•  Use of Force: Facilitators and students will discuss when law enforcement officers may  use
force and an officer’s reaction time when confronted with a life-threatening situation. This
session is closed to the media. Reporters may try the simulator equipment after the event ends.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that
serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access
available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern
District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office,
Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.