ELIZABETHTON — Even after he finally ended his law enforcement career, Wayne South has still found a way to share his knowledge and experience even after his retirement.
South had 32 years experience in law enforcement and the military. He also served as an adjunct instructor for 19 years.
South found a way to pass on his knowledge and experience in two ways. He has now joined forces with Myles Cook to team teach criminal justice at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Elizabethton. He has also beginning to publish articles on some of the law enforcement areas he has thought most deeply about during his career, such as leadership. An article on leadership has recently been approved for publication by “Police 1”, an online magazine for law enforcement professionals and recruits.
South is a native of Johnson County. He is a 1984 graduate of Johnson County High School. He then began his long years of public service in law enforcement and the military. South is a veteran of the United States Air Force.
In his law enforcement career, South worked at the West Columbia, S.C. Police Department. His career led him to Gainesville, Fla., where he would retire in 2018 as the commander of the Training and Education Division of the Gainesville Police Department. South would then return to his home state, settling in Sullivan County.
In addition to his police work, South had also been a guest instructor and lecturer in various colleges and law enforcement leadership programs.
All of that experience has been useful when South joined with Cook in the new criminal justice classes being offered by TCAT Elizabethton at its Herman Robinson Campus, 1500 Arney St., Elizabethton. The criminal justice training, which takes two trimesters to complete, awards graduates with a corrections officer certificate.
Dean Blevins, president of TCAT Elizabethton spoke of other accomplishments in the schools new criminal justice program. Last week, a 40-hour “Field Training Officer” course was held to provide higher level training for law enforcement agencies in the region.
“This is the first time a college in this state has partnered with public safety agencies in this manner,” Blevins said.
Throughout his career, South has stressed the importance of leadership in law enforcement. That was an emphasis of the 40-hour training block for field training officers and also for his soon-to-be published article.
The article focuses on the importance and impact a field training officer has on the new officer as well as the department. It also discusses the leadership lessons new officers teach their trainers. South considers the field trainer to be one of the most important roles at a police department.