WCSO TO HOST MOCK KIDNAPPING EXERCISE
For Immediate Release
February 1, 2018
DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Fla— A week from today Walton County Sheriff’s Office will be hosting a two-day exercise aimed at evaluating law enforcement’s response to a child kidnapping.
The Region 1 C.A.R.T. (Child Abduction Response Team) is made up of multiple agencies in Northwest Florida who respond when a child goes missing.
This exercise will show the proficiency of C.A.R.T to respond to a real-world scenario involving a child abduction.
“This kind of training and certification is vital in the event of an actual abduction,” said Sheriff Michael Adkinson.
Upon conclusion Northwest Florida C.A.R.T (Child Abduction Response Team) will be graded to receive national certification through the Department of Justice.
February 8th and 9th residents can expect to see an increase of activity, including the use of helicopters and K9s, in DeFuniak Springs. Specifically, the community center and in the area around Walton High School.
Walton County Sheriff’s Office has chosen to release this information so role players in this exercise will not be mistaken for real world criminals and so the public is not alarmed at the law enforcement presence in their community.
“We appreciate our resident’s patience and understanding as we work in protecting our most important assets— our children,” said Adkinson.