SHERBURNE – A renowned author and soldier came to Sherburne on Friday and spoke to teachers, law enforcement, and community members about topics including sheepdogs, sleep deprivation, and policies impacting the performance of local law enforcement.
On July 20, retired Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Dave Grossman came to the Sherburne-Earlville High School Auditorium to share his experience and knowledge without charge for those interested in attending.
The seminar was approximately seven hours long, and it encouraged the individuals to serve their communities.
The first half of the seminar was dedicated towards school safety, where Grossman discussed the five D's in school shootings, Denial, Deter, Detect, Delay, and Destroy.
Grossman said denial is the enemy and it has no survival value, deter school shootings by putting police officers in schools, detect a possible shooter by give teachers and administrators regular access to law enforcement, delay shooters by ensuring classrooms have a single point of entry and conduct realistic active shooter drills so teachers know how to respond, and destroy shooters by encouraging police officers to carry a firearm off duty, equip police officers with patrol rifles, put smoke grenades in every cop car, have police carry extra magazines, use helicopters, and encourage citizens to stay armed and vigilant.
He said the actions of noble and honorable individuals in a crisis situation can save lives, and schools can help promote that by taking into consideration the five D's.
"I believe courage and honor will defeat hate and fear, every time," said Grossman.
He said individuals who wish to protect and serve others, in military or in civil service, are some of the most beautiful and powerful people our society has to offer. Throughout the seminar he referred to those individuals as, "sheepdogs."
"All you sheepdogs out there, you believe in who you are, you believe in what you do. It's the worst of times and it's the best of times. Your courage, your compassion, and your competence shines bright against the darkness of the age," he said.
Grossman told audience members who think they may be sheepdogs to believe in who they are, believe in what they do, and believe they can make a difference.
"The greatest achievement is the crime that didn't happen, and the greatest achievement against violence is the kid we didn't have to shoot," said Grossman.
He said in order to help make those achievements happen, veterans overseas and the individuals protecting and serving local communities need to face an internal conflict that is contributing factor to poor decision making, sleep deprivation.
