The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has recognized two Tullahoma Police Department School Resource Officers for their demonstrated commitment to using the statewide Handle with Care program, an initiative that connects children who have experienced trauma with timely, trauma-sensitive support at school.

SRO Tyler Walls and SRO Sgt. Willie Young were honored as the officers who made the most use of the Handle with Care program in Coffee County. Evangeline Watanabe, TBI’s Handle with Care Statewide Coordinator, presented each officer with a Certificate of Appreciation and a Handle with Care challenge coin.

“Handle with Care notifications is not a mandatory requirement,” stated Coordinator Watanabe. “That is what it is especially impressive, when we have officers who are intentional about submitting notifications to ensure children receive the support needed when they are most vulnerable. The Tullahoma Police Department has done an outstanding job of prioritizing and being consistent with officers submitting notifications. In the 25/26 school year, TPD sent the most in Coffee County, at 46 notifications.”

“We are proud of Sergeant Young and Officer Walls,” said Deputy Police Chief Jason Kennedy. “Recognition like this reflects a daily commitment to the children and families of Tullahoma, and our partnership with the schools. All our officers are aware of and use the program when needed. It is important for us to make sure children who experience difficult situations get the care they need at school the next day. Our department is proud of the great work these officers do in our schools.”

How Handle with Care Works

Handle With Care enables first responders, whether law enforcement, fire, or EMS, to privately notify a child’s school when they encounter that child at a potentially traumatic situation. No incident details are shared. Responders send only three words: “Handle with Care.” That brief notification allows educators and counselors to provide support right away, without needing to know what the child has been through.

The program has three components:

•    Notification: Law enforcement sends a “Handle with Care” notice to the child’s school district when they encounter a child at a traumatic scene. No incident details are shared, only the three-word alert.

•    Support: The school district routes the notification to the appropriate teacher and/or counselor, who monitors the student’s behavior and determines what trauma-sensitive support may help, such as reteaching lessons, allowing more time on tests, letting the student rest in the nurse’s office, or sending the student to the counselor.

•    Referral: If needed, the counselor makes a referral to a mental health provider.

The statewide Handle with Care program is coordinated through TBI’s Dangerous Drugs Task Force through a state grant. Technical assistance, training, and program support are provided at no cost to participating communities.

About Handle with Care

In 2011, the West Virginia Children’s Justice Task Force, in collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, formed a subcommittee to explore children’s exposure to trauma and violence and ways to mitigate its effects. The group developed Handle with Care and piloted the program in a single elementary school in 2013. Since then, the program has been implemented in cities across the country.