Latest news with #Catoe
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
USC program aims to teach police leadership skills, with help from state funding
Major Lee Catoe, with the state Transport Police, accepts an award for completing the Excellence in Policing and Public Safety Program at the University of South Carolina School of Law on Friday, May 9, 2025. (Photo by Skylar Laird/SC Daily Gazette) COLUMBIA — As the University of South Carolina's first day of a police leadership program came to an end, the 15 officers in the class started to wonder, 'What have we gotten ourselves into?' said Major Lee Catoe, one of the program's students. That first class, which taught officers about different types of leadership styles, was just a taste of the intensive 17-month course in which police officers from across the state learned leadership skills and how to handle difficult policing situations, said Catoe, who has spent 18 years with the State Transport Police. Started with $10 million from the state Legislature in 2023, the Excellence in Policing and Public Safety Program teaches officers evidence-based practices on policing. Lessons include how to effectively communicate with each other and members of the public and how policing relates to civil rights issues, according to its website. The program's second cohort of officers graduated Friday, bringing the total graduates in the pilot program to 31. The first cohort of 16 officers finished the course in March. Staff at the university's law school, in talking to state law enforcement officials, realized police had few professional development opportunities focused on what it takes to be a great leader, said William Hubbard, dean of the university's law school. So, they decided to fill in those gaps, he said. The course was open to officers who are already in a leadership position at their agency or aspire to be in one and have the skills necessary. By cultivating great leaders, the program aims to encourage more people to become police officers and stay in the profession, Hubbard said. 'That's what we've sought to do,' Hubbard said. Unlike other professional development courses, professors give students real-world scenarios to solve using what they learned about best practices and how their actions affect everyone involved, Catoe said. 'A lot of times, you like to live in black and white, very ordered and structured,' Catoe said. 'Every once in a while, you have to go outside of that to find a solution that's beneficial to the person, not violating their rights and that supports law enforcement's objective.' The program consisted of seven weeklong courses, spread out over the course of 17 months. Along with teaching leadership skills, staff also offered help in writing grants for departments and other resources for officers. 'It's really a treasure trove for law enforcement,' Catoe said. Among the topics covered are what drives people to commit crimes, how mental health and community trust can affect people's interactions with police officers and the history of racial profiling, according to the program's website. Many of the courses were eye-opening, Catoe said. For instance, one week, officers learned how to use social media to connect with their communities. They used the university's social media lab to see which posts did well and which didn't, which Catoe hadn't considered previously. 'Sometimes we have to adapt on the fly and do something,' Catoe said he learned. 'When we find what works, we continue to use it.' Filling in those gaps, including teaching leaders how to work together, is essential, said Gov. Henry McMaster. He recalled a major drug bust he led as the state's U.S. attorney in the 1980s that came together only when different agencies figured out how to collaborate instead of working parallel to one another. Operation Jackpot, as the bust was known, led to the conviction of more than 100 people who were smuggling drugs into the country. 'You've got to make the ends meet,' said McMaster, the keynote speaker for Friday's graduation. 'There can't be gaps.' The program was meant to test curriculum for a master's degree in public safety executive leadership, with the university plans to start offering this fall, according to an application the university submitted to its board of trustees. The master's course will use officers' feedback from the pilot program to develop its curriculum, broadening it to twice as many people in the coming years, according to the application. 'I truly believe that as this program is pushed out across the state, it is going to be monumental for our officers,' said Aiken Lieutenant Jennifer Hayes, one of Friday's graduates.
New York Post
23-04-2025
- New York Post
South Carolina corrections officer killed after being struck by lightning while fishing in first US bolt-related death this year
MAURY, N.C. – A North Carolina corrections officer has died after being struck by lightning earlier this month, and is the first known lightning fatality in the U.S. this year. A bolt hit 39-year-old Santonio Catoe while he was fishing on April 11, according to information from the National Weather Service and the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections. Advertisement North Carolina Wildlife officials said Catoe was fishing with his son and several others when he was hit by lightning and thrown from the boat about 9 p.m. at North East Creek Park near Jacksonville, North Carolina. Members of Catoe's fishing group quickly pulled him back into the boat, but he was unresponsive. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Officials said Catoe worked at the Eastern Correctional Institution in Maury, North Carolina. Colleagues celebrated his life at his funeral on Tuesday. Before his position with North Carolina Corrections, he served in the United States Marine Corps. Catoe was an avid outdoorsman and leaves behind a wife and four children, according to a GoFundMe page set up for his family. Second fishing-related lightning death reported in Mississippi Advertisement 4 Santonio Catoe was struck by lightning while he was fishing on April 11, and is the first known lightning fatality in the U.S. this year. North Carolina Department of Adult Correction/Facebook A second-related death attributed to a lightning strike while fishing occurred in Mississippi on Tuesday. Police say a fisherman was struck by lightning while out in the Goshen area, according to WLBT-TV. Police told the station a witness reported the victim went out on the water as thunderstorms approached. Advertisement 4 This graphic shows the number of lightning deaths in the U.S. over the last 10 years. FOX Weather 4 Santonio Catoe's fellow officers honoring him after he was killed by a lightning strike. North Carolina Department of Adult Correction/Facebook Fishing leads causes of lightning fatalities in US According to the National Lightning Safety Council, an organization that promotes lightning safety, fishing has been the leading cause of lightning deaths in the country since 2006. According to the council, fishing is particularly dangerous because it requires extra time to get to a safe space. Advertisement Since 2006, there have been 44 lightning deaths linked to fishing, according to the organization's data. Some of the other most dangerous activities that contribute to lightning deaths include beach recreation, boating and farming. 4 Catoe was an avid outdoorsman and leaves behind a wife and four children. North Carolina Department of Adult Correction/Facebook Twelve people were struck and killed by lightning in the U.S. last year, and an average of 20 people are killed across the country each year. The summer months see the most lightning deaths on average in the country due to a general increase in the number of people participating in outdoor activities, coinciding with the peak of thunderstorm activity in the U.S. Safety experts told FOX Weather that the best way to stay safe from lightning is to quickly go indoors whenever you hear thunder.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
North Carolina officer becomes nation's first lightning death of 2025 after being struck while fishing
MAURY, N.C. – A North Carolina corrections officer has died after being struck by lightning earlier this month, and is the first known lightning fatality in the U.S. this year. A bolt hit 39-year-old Santonio Catoe while he was fishing on April 11, according to information from the National Weather Service and the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections. Debunking 7 Myths About Lightning North Carolina Wildlife officials said Catoe was fishing with his son and several others when he was hit by lightning and thrown from the boat about 9 p.m. at North East Creek Park near Jacksonville, North Carolina. Members of Catoe's fishing group quickly pulled him back into the boat, but he was unresponsive. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Officials said Catoe worked at the Eastern Correctional Institution in Maury, North Carolina. Colleagues celebrated his life at his funeral on Tuesday. Before his position with North Carolina Corrections, he served in the United States Marine Corps. Catoe was an avid outdoorsman and leaves behind a wife and four children, according to a GoFundMe page set up for his family. A second-related death attributed to a lightning strike while fishing occurred in Mississippi on Tuesday. Police say a fisherman was struck by lightning while out in the Goshen area, according to WLBT-TV. Police told the station a witness reported the victim went out on the water as thunderstorms approached. According to the National Lightning Safety Council, an organization that promotes lightning safety, fishing has been the leading cause of lightning deaths in the country since 2006. How To Watch Fox Weather According to the council, fishing is particularly dangerous because it requires extra time to get to a safe space. Since 2006, there have been 44 lightning deaths linked to fishing, according to the organization's data. Some of the other most dangerous activities that contribute to lightning deaths include beach recreation, boating and farming. Lightning Safety: When Thunder Roars, Even Taking Out The Trash Can Turn Deadly Twelve people were struck and killed by lightning in the U.S. last year, and an average of 20 people are killed across the country each year. The summer months see the most lightning deaths on average in the country due to a general increase in the number of people participating in outdoor activities, coinciding with the peak of thunderstorm activity in the U.S. Safety experts told FOX Weather that the best way to stay safe from lightning is to quickly go indoors whenever you hear article source: North Carolina officer becomes nation's first lightning death of 2025 after being struck while fishing
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Yahoo
Married NC dad, prison K-9 officer dies after he's hit by lightning while fishing on boat
MAURY, N.C. (WNCN) — An eastern North Carolina married father of two who worked as a prison officer died last week from a lightning strike while he was out fishing, officials said. Santonio Catoe served as the K-9 officer at Eastern Correctional Institution in Maury in Greene County, according to a North Carolina Department of Adult Correction news release. Catoe 'tragically' died after he was hit by lightning while on his fishing boat, the news release said. Officers and workers from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction gathered Thursday at the prison in Maury to remember Catoe, officials said. 'His dedication to his work was unmatched, and he was known for his engaging spirit and the deep respect and affection he earned from all who knew him,' the news release said. A GoFundMe was also set up to help Catoe's family, who live in Greenville. 'Tony lost his life doing what he loved with his son TJ by his side,' Andrew Salis wrote in fundraising efforts. Catoe, 39, leaves behind a wife and two children, TJ, 9, and his daughter Maya, 5, along with two stepchildren, according to Salis. 'Tony's love for his family was something many strive to have,' Salis wrote. A visitation for the family will be held on Monday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Crawford Funeral Home in Lancaster, South Carolina. A funeral service for Catoe is scheduled for Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Crawford Funeral Home Chapel. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gwinnett community rallies around siblings who lost parents in house fire
A Loganville neighborhood is coming together to support three siblings who lost their parents in a house fire early Saturday morning. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The fire broke out around 4 a.m. on Bay Cove Trail. Flames quickly tore through both floors of the home. Neighbor Matthew Catoe said he and his wife woke up to the sound of sirens and saw the fire spreading fast. 'The blaze at that point in time was throughout the first floor that we could see. At least two windows were gone and it was starting to creep up to the second floor,' Catoe said. Gwinnett County firefighters pulled two adults from the home. They were taken to a hospital but later died from their injuries. 'Honestly, top-notch response from all the first responders. No notes. They were very quick. They were very professional,' Catoe said. TRENDING STORIES: Atlanta rapper Young Scooter died after accidentally injuring himself, medical examiner says Georgia State Patrol trooper's 5-year-old daughter dies after unexpected illness Delivery driver pulled over for brake light had 50 stolen packages in her car, police say The couple's three children survived. Catoe said their 21-year-old son helped one teenage sister escape, then ran back inside to rescue the other. 'He originally woke one of them who went down the rest of the cul de sac to rouse the rest of the neighbors, try to get some community together, and then went back in to get his other sister,' Catoe said. The son was treated for burns at the hospital. Both girls were released with minor injuries. All three children are now living with their grandparents. 'We've got kids without their parents and parents without their kids on both sides of the coin,' Catoe said. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Catoe, who recently moved into the neighborhood, started a GoFundMe to help support the children. The original goal was $5,000. 'We passed that within a day,' he said. 'The outpouring of the community has just been really, really heartwarming and really touching.' The family has asked for privacy as they grieve. But for neighbors like Catoe, the community's response is a sign of something powerful amid the heartbreak. 'It's the silver lining on a bad day,' he said, 'but it's there, and we're very thankful for it.'
