South Carolina’s Alive at 25 Course Encourages Safe Driving

An award-winning law enforcement professional in Bluffton, South Carolina, Jacob Higgins joined the Jasper County Sheriff's Office as the detective sergeant of the narcotics and gang unit in 2019. Previously, Jacob “Jake” Higgins worked as a detective with the Bluffton Police Department, where, in addition to investigating violent crime and narcotics cases, he taught the State of South Carolina Alive at 25 Course.

Automobile accidents are the number one killer of teenagers in the United States. Developed by the National Safety Council, the Alive at 25 course educates young people on how to minimize risk and make good choices when driving. The 4.5-hour program is taught by off-duty deputy sheriffs and police officers, all of whom can share firsthand knowledge of the dangers of irresponsible driving.

The Alive at 25 course utilizes activities, videos, and case studies to help students improve decision-making skills and improve problem-solving techniques. By the end of the course, they ideally gain a better understanding of their behavior behind the wheel and how it can impact their safety and the safety of other drivers on the road.

The FBI’s Five Steps of Negotiation

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Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) -
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A former detective for the police department in Bluffton, South Carolina, Jacob “Jake” Higgins serves as a detective sergeant for the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office and president of SecurityNow USA LLC. A certified crisis and hostage negotiator, Bluffton resident Jacob Higgins investigates cases relating to violent crime and narcotics.

When it comes to negotiation, the focus is often on understanding the perpetrator and encouraging them to see your point of view and alter their behavior. The hostage negotiation unit at the FBI developed five steps to accomplish this; each of which is briefly described below:

1. Active listening - If you are like most people, you probably already believe that you are listening to the other person’s side during the negotiation process. However, active listening involves more than just hearing. It also involves making sure the other party is aware that you are listening to them without judging them.

2. Empathy - As you listen, you can get a better idea of where the other party is coming from. This is related to your empathy level. You must understand their feelings and their perspective, regardless of whether you agree with that point of view or not.

3. Rapport - Learning about the other person’s perspectives lets you step into their mindset and build rapport by using words and phrases that resonate with them. This lets them feel empathy back from you and build trust. Keep in mind that building rapport is not manipulation and, if your efforts are viewed this way, you’ve likely lost the ability to properly negotiate.

4. Influence - After you’ve earned the trust of the other party, you can begin problem-solving with them. Recommend a course of action to them that helps them achieve their objective, while still helping you achieve yours.

5. Behavioral change - Based on your results from the prior four steps, you will hopefully have given alternatives and solutions to the other party that they have accepted. In turn, they will modify their original behavior and hopefully create an acceptable outcome for you and them.

A Look at the Roles and Benefits of School Resource Officers

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Formerly a special investigations detective with the Bluffton Police Department in Bluffton, South Carolina, Jacob Higgins now serves the Jasper County Sheriff's Office as a detective-sergeant. Throughout his career, Jacob Higgins has earned several professional certifications and awards, including the 2018 Police Officer of the Year. He has also received recognition from the FBI for his work in policing.

According to the federal definition, an SRO is a law enforcement professional deployed by a police department or agency to provide community-oriented policing in one or more schools. The United States Department of Justice estimates that there are 14,000 to 20,000 SROs working in public and private K-12 schools nationwide.

In addition to maintaining a safe learning environment, SROs carry out other roles that many law enforcement officers do not have. The National Association of School Resource Officers states that SRO best practices follow a "triad concept" that has the officer perform policing duties while serving as an educator and informal counselor/mentor for the students and teachers they protect.

Because SROs work with young people in an educational environment, they typically undergo a specialized training that may focus on drug awareness, bullying prevention, juvenile information sharing laws, and adolescent development.

With this specialized training, SROs can benefit schools in many ways. Past studies have shown that SRO programs help prevent property damage and student injuries while reducing juvenile criminal behavior and increasing feelings of safety among students and school staff members.