DENMARK – Officials of Government Training Institute Inc., which specializes in training in the fields of anti-terrorism, terrorism counter-measures, police sniper operations, specialized patrol, high-risk policing activities and other law enforcement and military functions related to the post 9/11 world, announced Thursday they are relocating GTI’s corporate headquarters to Denmark.

Formerly of Eagle, Idaho, GTI Inc. will move into the former NIBCO plant at 1349 Locust Avenue.

The company already operates an advanced tactical training facility in Barnwell County.

Approximately 140 government, business and law enforcement officials attended a morning press conference to welcome GTI to the community, including Reginald Lloyd, the new director of the State Law Enforcement Division.

GTI Inc. is a leading military and law enforcement training organization for first responders such as SWAT teams. The relocation of the five-year-old company to Denmark will bring approximately 15 jobs, $2 million in initial investment and more than 3,000 law enforcement officers from around the world and the U.S. to participate in month-long training classes.

The company’s move to South Carolina comes in response to national demand for the delivery of Active Shooter and SWAT courses approved by U.S. Department of Homeland Security, taught exclusively by GTI with eligibility for Homeland Security Grant Program funding, said Chadd Harbaugh, GTI president.

“The new location enhances our ability to collaborate with a larger group of homeland security disciplines as we continue to address the readiness needs of our nation’s military, law enforcement and all other first responders,” Harbaugh said. “The enormity of our new tactical training facility makes it ideal for curriculum delivery and ensures room for future expansion.”

A former law enforcement veteran with 14 years’ experience, Harbaugh said his company was looking to relocate to the East Coast.

“We initially looked at some other places but hadn’t looked at the state of South Carolina. Then we found out about this place and looked at the demographics, discovering it is centrally located between Miami and New York,” he said. “However, a lot of other factors went into our decision to move the company, the most important of which was the relationship we established with South Carolina law enforcement agencies. We were very impressed with what we saw.”

“Once we got here we found out the people are great,” Harbaugh added. “That applies to everyone from the Southern Carolina Alliance folks to the (Bamberg and Barnwell) county councils to the (Denmark) city council. Everyone we have dealt with has just welcomed us with open arms, and we typically don’t receive that kind of response.”

The Southern Carolina Alliance, the development agency that represents the four-county region of Bamberg, Barnwell, Allendale and Hampton, began working to bring GTI to the area two years ago after company officials attended an alliance-sponsored recruiting event. GTI located its advanced tactical operations training facility at the S.C. Advanced Technology Park in Barnwell County near the Savannah River Site.

Kay Still, SCA chairwoman, said having GTI in Denmark is unique for two reasons.

“First of all, this will create jobs and capital investment,” Still said. “GTI has already purchased additional land from the City of Denmark to expand its new site. Secondly, this gives the community a prime opportunity for exposure to the rest of the country and to the world through the law enforcement and military personnel who will train here.”

Still said officers participating in GTI training will have a significant impact on the local economy.

“Each class of 30 trainees will spend an average of $15,000 in lodging and $20,000 in food and services, and that doesn’t include gas,” said Still. “It is hoped that the economic impact will not only be immediate but for a long time to come. They’ll be using lots of facilities like motels, restaurants, catering services, and some of the people will be moving in.”

Denmark Mayor Carrie Simmons said GTI’s presence will bring progress.

“I think we are now going to see more industry and more people coming in because we have another building in Denmark that we can use,” Simmons said. “That will help us to grow and have a place for our citizens to work since we have a large number of unemployed.”

Lloyd, appointed by Gov. Mark Sanford in January to lead SLED, said the new employment opportunities and visitors brought to the area by GTI will not only improve the quality of life of residents in Barnwell and Bamberg counties, but also across South Carolina.

“It is my honor to be part of such a respected organization that trains military and law enforcement agencies across the United States and across the globe,” Lloyd said. “SLED agents first took part in GTI training last spring, and they raved about it. I’m especially proud to have SLED Special Operations and SWAT units continue to learn from this professional staff at GTI.”

GTI’s new “Center of Excellence” in Denmark is situated on 44 acres. The property includes 22 acres of wooded ground that is attached to the primary training center’s 22 acres. The 196,000 sq. ft. complex includes 9,000 sq. ft. of administrative offices and classrooms for lectures, seminars and in-class instruction and an indoor simulation area for close-quarter battle training and high-intensity conflict combat scenarios.

The Barnwell training complex was formerly a nuclear fuel reprocessing station that GTI has converted into a homeland security training center for advanced law enforcement and military training scenarios. The Barnwell site includes low-light training areas for night vision goggles and thermal imagers; towers and ascending structures for fast roping and rappelling at multiple heights and difficulties; a live fire range; a defensive driving track for convoy operations and Personal Security Detail training and an Improvised Explosive Devices training range.

Harbaugh said the first GTI class trained at the Barnwell facility would graduate Friday. Members of that group, representing such agencies as SLED and sheriff’s departments from Greenville, Beaufort and Charleston counties, demonstrated the skills they learned during a tour later in the day Thursday of the Barnwell site.

“These trainees are under a tremendous amount of stress because the training is so intense,” Harbaugh said. “Their training is paid for by the Department of Homeland Security and their final test is (Friday). If they are off by an inch on their round placement when they fire their weapons, they don’t graduate.”

He said GTI provides “the most realistic training possible because in this day and age, state and local law enforcement is the first line of defense.”

“Through our efforts,” Harbaugh added, “we hope to establish a standardized skill level for these people that keep our country safe.”

T&D Correspondent Phil Sarata can be reached by e-mail at pmhsarata@aol.com.

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