QUINCY, FL (WTXL) -- The Gadsden County Sheriff's Office and the Quincy Police Department are combining efforts to show the public why law enforcement respond the way they do to different situations.
In July, deputies went through several scenarios in Quincy involving a basic traffic stop, a felony traffic stop and pedestrian encounter -- in each situation, showcasing the proper techniques that need to be used by both an officer and driver.
"When you're stopped by a police officer on the side of the street,that is not the time to get into an argument on why he stopped you," said Quincy police chief Glenn Sapp. "We have traffic court for that. That is not the time to get into a debate as to if he is professional or not professional. You can go to the police department or the sheriff's office, and they'll conduct a thorough investigation if needed to determine that."
The Gadsden County Sheriff's Office and Quincy police are holding their second public forum to discuss proper ways to handle traffic stops.
A traffic stop is the most common interaction between the public and law enforcement. The Gadsden County Sheriff's Office says it wants to remain transparent. Its goal through these exercises is to keep an open line of communication and offer citizens an opportunity to ask questions.
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QUITMAN, GA (WTXL) -- Last September, the "Insiders" featured Hopes and Dreams Riding Facility, an organization helping veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through several forms of therapy, including horse therapy.
Logan Earwood, a 22-year-old veteran, said he was losing control of his life after getting out of the military, but found peace at Hopes and Dreams.
"This place is a life-changer," he said. "It gives you the tools you need to overcome all the obstacles that you have, and I feel 100 percent confident that I'm going to be in the right direction for the rest of my life."
Earwood left Hopes and Dreams not long after the report. He's back home in south Florida and ready to start school to become a mechanic. He says he's managing his PTSD well now, and the lessons he learned at Hopes and Dreams have stayed with him.
"Always keep your mind busy," he said. "If you're out there doing stuff, you're doing work, you're going to school -- it doesn't allow you to get inside your head, and that's where it can get dangerous, is if you get inside your head, and that's when things can turn downhill."
