米兰体育

Skip to content
NOWCAST 米兰体育 13 6am Newscast
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

'It's really appalling': Mother, law enforcement experts react to non-certified SRO's in Walker County

'It's really appalling': Mother, law enforcement experts react to non-certified SRO's in Walker County
WELL, BRITTANY EXPERTS SAY THAT THE WALKER COUNTY SHERIFF AND ITS BOARD OF EDUCATION ACTUALLY RUN THE RISK OF PUTTING SOMEBODY ON A CAMPUS WHO鈥橲 NOT TRAINED TO PROPERLY RESPOND TO A THREAT, LIKE AN ACTIVE SHOOTER, POTENTIALLY PUTTING STUDENTS IN DANGER. IT鈥橲 REALLY APPALLING, REALLY. IT鈥橲 IT鈥橲 UNBELIEVABLE. CIERRA WALKER DID NOT HOLD BACK ABOUT WALKER COUNTY SHERIFF NICK SMITH鈥橲 ARREST ON MONDAY. ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ASKED HER ABOUT SMITH BEING CHARGED WITH PLACING NON-CERTIFIED SRO鈥橲 IN HER COUNTY SCHOOLS. THAT鈥橲 INSANE, BECAUSE PEOPLE鈥橲 CHILDREN ARE THERE. AND IF THEY鈥橰E NOT CERTIFIED, THAT MEANS THEY鈥橵E HAD NO TRAINING. SHERIFF SMITH IS FACING SIX MISDEMEANORS, ONE FOR EACH NON-CERTIFIED EMPLOYEE. HE PUT IN A POSITION WITH ARREST POWERS FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS. THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR SROS IS HEADQUARTERED AN HOUR AWAY IN HOOVER. THE SPECIFIC TRAINING THAT IS REQUIRED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY INSIDE THE SCHOOLS IS IMPERATIVE. SO WE鈥橰E VERY CONCERNED WHEN WE HEARD THOSE, MCCARTHY SAYS ALABAMA REQUIRES ALL OF ITS SROS TO BE A CERTIFIED FOR A REASON. IF A SHOOTER THREATENS A SCHOOL AND THE CAMPUS IS PROTECTED BY AN UNQUALIFIED OFFICER. I THINK IT PUTS YOUR YOUR COUNTY AND YOUR SCHOOL AT GREAT RISK. IN ADDITION TO INDICTING SHERIFF SMITH ON THOSE SIX CHARGES AND HIS CHIEF DEPUTY ON ONE OTHER, THE GRAND JURY ALSO MADE SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS. ONE WAS URGING THE WALKER COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ENSURE EACH OF ITS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS HAS THE TRAINING NEEDED TO KEEP KIDS SAFE. THEY DEFINITELY NEED TO DO THEIR OWN VETTING VETTING PROCESS THEMSELVES. BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TRUST, YOU KNOW, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT. ABOVE YOU, WHO CAN YOU NOT TRUST? WE REACHED OUT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT TO TALK ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATION, BUT SINCE HE IS A WITNESS IN THE CASE, HIS STAFF TOLD US HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO COMMENT ON IT. NOW, SHERIFF SMITH HAS ACTUALLY SAID THAT HE BELIEVES THESE ARE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED CHARGES THAT HE PLANS TO VIGOROUSLY FIGHT IN COURT. IN FACT, TODAY, HIS ATTORNEY ASKED A JUDGE IN THIS CASE TO CLARIFY THE PUNISHMENT THAT HE FACES. YESTERDAY, THE DA SAID IT WAS UP TO 90 DAYS IN JAIL FOR EACH OF THE SIX COUNTS. HOWEVER, HIS LAWYER SAYS THAT STATE LAW INDICATES THAT HE WOULD FACE NO JAIL TIME IF CONVICTED.
米兰体育 logo
Updated: 5:49 PM CDT Jun 11, 2025
Editorial Standards 鈸�
Advertisement
'It's really appalling': Mother, law enforcement experts react to non-certified SRO's in Walker County
米兰体育 logo
Updated: 5:49 PM CDT Jun 11, 2025
Editorial Standards 鈸�
Sarah Walker did not hold back about Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith's arrest on Monday. 鈥淚t's really appalling. Really is unbelievable,鈥� Walker said.She is most upset about Smith being charged with placing non-certified School Resource Officers in her county's schools.鈥淭hat's insane because, people's children are there, and if they're not certified, that means that they've had no training,鈥� Walker said.Sheriff Smith is facing six misdemeanors. Each count represents one non-certified employee investigators claimed he put in a role with arrest powers.Four were School Resource Officers. The National Association for School Resource Officers is headquartered an hour away in Hoover. 鈥淭he specific training that is required to function properly inside the schools is imperative. So, we were very concerned when we heard those,鈥� National Association of SRO鈥檚 Mac Hardy said.Hardy argued Alabama requires all of its SRO鈥檚 to be APOST-certified for a reason.And if a shooter threatens a school and the campus is protected by an unqualified officer?鈥淚 think it puts your county and your school at great risk,鈥� Hardy said.In addition to indicting the Sheriff on those six charges and his Chief Deputy on one other, the grand jury also made several recommendations. One was urging the Walker County Board of Education to ensure each of its School Resource Officers has the training needed to keep kids safe.鈥淭hey definitely need to do their vetting process themselves. But, you know, when you can鈥檛 trust, you know, the law enforcement above you, who can you not trust?鈥� Walker asked.We reached out to the Walker County Superintendent to talk about the recommendation, but we were told he could not comment about the case since he was a grand jury witness. Sheriff Smith pledges to vigorously defend the charges in court.So far, a judge has not scheduled his arraignment.

Sarah Walker did not hold back about Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith's arrest on Monday.

鈥淚t's really appalling. Really is unbelievable,鈥� Walker said.

Advertisement

She is most upset about Smith being charged with placing non-certified School Resource Officers in her county's schools.

鈥淭hat's insane because, people's children are there, and if they're not certified, that means that they've had no training,鈥� Walker said.

Sheriff Smith is facing six misdemeanors.

Each count represents one non-certified employee investigators claimed he put in a role with arrest powers.

Four were School Resource Officers.

The National Association for School Resource Officers is headquartered an hour away in Hoover.

鈥淭he specific training that is required to function properly inside the schools is imperative. So, we were very concerned when we heard those,鈥� National Association of SRO鈥檚 Mac Hardy said.

Hardy argued Alabama requires all of its SRO鈥檚 to be APOST-certified for a reason.

And if a shooter threatens a school and the campus is protected by an unqualified officer?

鈥淚 think it puts your county and your school at great risk,鈥� Hardy said.

In addition to indicting the Sheriff on those six charges and his Chief Deputy on one other, the grand jury also made several recommendations.

One was urging the Walker County Board of Education to ensure each of its School Resource Officers has the training needed to keep kids safe.

鈥淭hey definitely need to do their vetting process themselves. But, you know, when you can鈥檛 trust, you know, the law enforcement above you, who can you not trust?鈥� Walker asked.

We reached out to the Walker County Superintendent to talk about the recommendation, but we were told he could not comment about the case since he was a grand jury witness.

Sheriff Smith pledges to vigorously defend the charges in court.

So far, a judge has not scheduled his arraignment.