The room was filled with law enforcement
officials, judicial representatives and personnel from Sevier, Cocke,
Grainger and Jefferson County as the interagency agreement was discussed and
signed.
“Safe Harbor Child
Advocacy Center, Inc., is well on it’s way to becoming a
reality,” stated District Attorney General Al
Schmutzer.
“With this facility in place, we will
see a positive change in the
prosecution
of child abuse cases.”
The signing
took place August 18, 2005,
joining the forces of officials from all the counties in the Fourth Judicial
District. “It is imperative we
all work together, for when united, we are a strong force,” commented Kirk Lane,
Regional Administrator for East Tennessee Children’s Services. Lane was on site when the Third Judicial
District opened their child advocacy center in 2000. “It only took that community six
months to create a fine facility. With
leaders like Donna Koester and Barry Fain working
on this project, I predict much
the same outcome.
The interagency
agreement was the first official step in obtaining much needed grant money
from the National Children’s Alliance. “With this agreement in place, we are
closer to establishing a facility to help children who have been traumatized
by abuse,” noted Lane.
Official signing the interagency
agreement:
· O. Kirk Lane,
East Tennessee
Regional Administrator
· Joan
Davis, Team Leader, DCS Child Protective Services
· Mimi
Vivio, Representative from Jefferson and Cocke County
· Becky
Lakins, Team Leader, DCS Child Protective Services
· Crystal
Ratcliff, Team Leader, DCS Child Protective Services
· Al
Schmutzer Jr., District Attorney General
· D.C.
Ramsey, Cocke County Sheriff
· Jairus Williams, Grainger County Sheriff
· David
Davenport, Jefferson County Sheriff
· Bruce
Montgomery, Sevier County Sheriff
· Maurice
Shults, Chief of Police, Newport
· David
Frye, Chief of Police, Rutledge
· Kyle
Kuykendall, Chief of Police, Blaine
· Hon.
John Bell, Cocke County
· Hon.
J. Wayne Wolfenbarger, Grainger
County
· Hon.
Benjamin Strand, Jefferson County
· Hon.
Dwight Stokes, Sevier County
· Hon.
Jeff Rader, Sevier County
· Donna J. Koester, President, SHCAC
· Andy Dossett, Chief of Police, Bean Station
· Charlie
Epps, Chief of Police, White Pine
· Cleve
Minor, Chief of Police, New Market
· Will
Clark, Chief of Police, Jefferson
City
· Carson
Williams, Chief of Police, Dandridge
· Randy
Brackins, Chief of Police, Gatlinburg
· Jack
Baldwin, Chief of Police, Pigeon Forge
· Donnie
Myers, Chief of Police, Sevierville
