State Okays Controversial Training
A state panel has unanimously approved credits for a law enforcement training course that critics have called anti-Muslim.
The Muslim civil rights organization Council on American-Islamic Relations is among those that have publicly denounced the “Understanding the Threat to America” course by a Virginia nonprofit.
One of the trainers was John Guandolo, who recently told a Nashville audience that local mosques do not have a right to constitutional protections.
Members of the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office participated in the training earlier this week and asked the Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission to approve it.
The commission gave its unanimous approval at its Friday meeting without discussing the objections from Muslim groups.
New commission member Sen. Jim Summerville said he voted in favor because he supports anti-terrorism training.
