Whitney Downard / The Meridian StarInstructor Karey Williams rides with a student through the driving course to see their technique. 

Every three years, to maintain their accreditation, the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department puts every deputy through an eight-hour refresher course that covers driving and high-speed pursuits. 

Adding to the miles they drive annually, the course covers basics such as shuttle steering – or turning the wheel with many small movements rather than one large one – and backing through tight turns. 

The class builds upon what law enforcement officers learn at the state academy, reviewing the proper procedures in the classroom before racing over to the track at the Meridian Regional Airport. 

“Speed isn’t everything,” Chief Deputy Ward Calhoun said. “It’s all about the proper technique.”

The Emergency Vehicle Operation Course includes a reversing course, a clover leaf and a challenge pursuit course.

“There are all sorts of factors to consider,” Calhoun said. “For example, if you’re at a school and there are kids out, is it worth pursuing somebody?”

Instructor Karey Williams, an investigator with the department, walks the class through the reversing course, which features turnarounds and a curved track designed to challenge the students.

“I made you a big, deep gate,” Williams said. “So back all the way up, straighten yourself out you’ve got the whole gate.”

Williams, on the third and final day of the class, has already gone through the challenge course more than 100 times with students. Each day a new group comes to the course for review and Williams drives through the course at least five times with each student. 

“The shuffle steering prevents the deputy from over-steering the vehicle,” Williams said. “When you get into a skid and you drive like this (with one hand turning the steering wheel with an open palm) that will cause you to over-steer the vehicle.”

Williams said the over-steering the vehicle would make the skid worse, possibly further out of control.

The challenge course has tight turns and winding curves but, despite the narrow line of cones, deputies must learn to drive through the course at a high speed, preparing for possible pursuits. 

“What I want to see from them is not so much raw horse power, I want to see them using proper driving,” Williams said, demonstrating a proper turn. “I”m taking as much curve out of the curve as I can. Which, in turn, does less wear and tear to my car and maintains speed.

“Because when you start sliding, although it may sound cool and feels cool, you’re actually losing speed and you’re wearing your car out. If I can keep my car maintained, I can catch up to the bad guy while he tears his car up and loses control.”

For Deputy Tim Robinson, the course reinforced daily activities, but allowed him, and other students, to drive in ways they don’t regularly. 

“Driving is something we do every day and we want to be as safe as possible,” Robinson said. “It’s fun but out here it’s safe and it’s a controlled environment with an instructor.”