This summer Forks hosted two separate statewide academies for the Department of Corrections (DOC) and their Inmate Recovery Team (IRT). The first academy that was held at the end of August was a Basic Academy, then the first-ever IRT Advanced Academy was held the end of September. With nearly 40 total participants and over 100 hours of training, the Department’s teams are more prepared to keep communities safe.

The IRT Basic Academy graduated 21 Department personnel. In addition to those members, this training was offered to one member each from the Forks Police Department, Aberdeen SWAT and Jefferson County Sheriff Department, free of charge.

This basic academy, which included more than 50+ hours of training, gave each participant the basic skills of land navigation, day and night tracking, team tactics, command and control, wilderness survival/first aid and urban tracking. Participants ended their week-long academy with a fully functional escape drill set out in the Hoh Rainforest at Olympic Corrections Center. This drill, implementing all IRT functions, was completed only utilizing academy participants. Using the skills they learned and began to hone while at the academy, participants were able to successfully and effectively catch both of their escapees.

The Advanced Academy consisted of IRT Team Leaders, Assistant Team Leaders, as well as a few Basic Academy Instructors in attendance. Sixteen Department personnel including Officers, Sergeants, Lieutenants, Correctional Specialists, Correctional Unit Supervisors and a Plumber graduated this 50+ hour Advanced Academy.

The Advanced Academy built more skills in map plotting, field command set-up, command and control, deception tracking, urban/distance tracking (to include working with local law enforcement on arrest planning and implementation), as well as a prehospital trauma life support class. This academy culminated its activities with an escape drill set in the Capital Forest at Cedar Creek Corrections Center. This drill included the facility and Advanced Academy participants. This location posed a bit of a challenge as Academy participants had to transition from tracking in the forest to tracking in the urban setting of Rochester.

Recently the Department’s Inmate Recovery Teams have been utilized for more than just tracking and recovery Incarcerated Individuals back to their jurisdiction, they have also been called upon by other jurisdictions for their skills. Some of these incidents include an escape from the Forks City Jail, recovering lost hunters and mushroom pickers as well as other Search and Rescue missions.

Lastly, a huge thank you to the community of Forks and surrounding areas for support during these academies and local trainings. Special thanks to the Department of Natural Resources, Tim Wade and the Forks Hospital Ambulance Crew, Chief Mike Rowley and the Forks Police Department, Olympic Natural Resource Center, United States Forest Service, Joe Pursley and the Jefferson County Sherriff’s Department, the Quileute Nation and Ki’tla Center and the many others that contributed with services and time.