Counseling, criminology students get 'Street Smart'

A group of nearly 50 graduate counseling students, undergrad psychology and criminology students and community mental health professionals spent the day Friday getting a lesson in "street smarts" from two retired officers from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.

Operation Street Smart training was organized by criminology professor Dr. Sarah Lazzari and graduate counseling professor Dr. DoHee Kim-Appel and sponsored by the Community Engagement Committee, the Master of Arts in Counseling Department and the Criminology Department.

The instructors were Sgt. Michael Powell, a 32-year veteran of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office (now retired) and Capt. Shawn Bain, a 29-year veteran (now retired).

The officers provided information in trends in narcotics, terminology, paraphernalia and the psychological effects on individuals who deal with addicted populations and today’s youth.

During their presentations, Powell and Bain drew on their extensive experience dealing with the nation’s drug problem and the human behaviors that drive the abuse of illegal drugs.