RED RIVER ARMY DEPOT, Texas — A regional law enforcement training effort that began as a small internal program at Red River Army Depot has grown into a multiagency operation that is reshaping how officers prepare for school safety threats.
Operation LION, or Law Enforcement Officer Integrating Operationally Nationwide, has expanded over the past three years with the help of Red River Police Chief Carlos Welch, Texas State Trooper Shane Lawrence and Red River Officer Lt. Justin Alexander. Their collaboration turned what was once routine police training into a coordinated initiative focused on improving readiness for school resource officers, district police chiefs, school marshals and armed educators known as Guardians.
The program has drawn 38 state, federal, and local agencies to the depot during the past two years. More than 500 personnel have completed the training, signaling that the effort has moved far beyond its original scope.
What started as a local project for the Red River Police Department is now a regional training hub that brings together agencies with a shared goal of strengthening school security and response capabilities.
“Strengthening the safety of our region is a shared responsibility, and this program reflects that partnership,” said Col. Denis J. Fajardo, commander of Red River. “Its growth over the past two years is something we’re proud of, and it demonstrates our long‑term commitment to improving safety across the region.”
When Welch joined the depot’s police department two decades ago, training looked very different. Officers who served at the time described it as “checking the boxes,” with little emphasis on realism or long‑term skill development. For many, the job functioned as a quiet landing spot near retirement rather than a place that demanded growth.
That early experience shaped Welch’s approach as chief. He has pushed the department toward rigorous, scenario‑based instruction designed to mirror real‑world threats. Alongside Lawrence and Alexander, he has made meaningful, hands‑on training a core expectation rather than an occasional requirement.
“We can’t afford to treat training like a formality,” Welch said. “What I saw when I first got here showed me exactly what happens when you don’t prepare people for real situations. Training has to matter, because lives depend on it.”
Welch said he first realized the program could grow beyond the depot when RRAD hosted a Texas Department of Public Safety High‑Risk Vehicle Stop course that drew four state agencies and more than 80 students. The turnout signaled that, with the right support and collaboration, outside agencies were beginning to see the value of training alongside RRAD Police.
For years, many agencies had little understanding of the department’s capabilities and viewed depot officers as “security guards” rather than a fully trained police force. In reality, Red River maintains one of the region’s most advanced law‑enforcement skill sets, including a certified Department of the Army (DA) Special Reaction Team and sniper team, the only non‑DPS High‑Risk Vehicle Stop instructor in Texas, multiple Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Level I train‑the‑trainer instructors and eight DA firearms instructors.
Welch said the goal was never to keep that expertise behind the fence line.
“We had the talent and the capability, but we just needed local agencies to know it,” Welch said. “Once agencies saw what we could offer, the momentum took care of itself.”
The impact is felt most clearly on the school‑safety side. Region 8 alone includes 48 independent school districts with more than 60,000 students and staff. It’s a staggering number when viewed through the lens of emergency preparedness.
“Our school districts are extremely fortunate to have RRAD geographically located within the Region 8 service area and even more fortunate to benefit from the forward-leaning leadership of Col. Fajardo and Chief Welch,” said Lee Gill, school safety coordinator for Region 8. “Their leadership reflects a commitment to community, reinforcing Red River’s mission while supporting its employees, their families, area schools and the broader well‑being of the communities they serve.”
Many of the campuses sit in small or rural communities, where access to advanced training, facilities and specialized resources can be limited. For those districts, the depot’s program fills a critical gap by offering instruction they might not otherwise receive.
“You can’t put a price on a child’s life,” Welch said. “These kids are precious, and they didn’t sign up to face an active threat at school. We did. As officers, we knew exactly what we were stepping into.”
In addition to the school‑focused training RRAD provides, the depot has also expanded access to advanced instruction for officers across the region. That effort has been especially visible through the ALERRT Level I courses. RRAD hosted three separate two‑day ALERRT sessions, certifying more than 80 officers and giving many agencies a chance to complete mandatory, hands‑on training close to home.
For smaller or rural departments, staffing and budget limitations often make travel difficult. By bringing ALERRT to the depot, Red River removed a major barrier and allowed officers to receive significant, in‑person instruction rather than relying on computer‑based alternatives.
That same commitment to accessibility continued during a recent five‑day training led by the Texas Department of Public Safety and hosted at the depot. The session brought together local agencies, Texas Game Wardens, the Louisiana State Police, the Arkansas State Police and the Texas Highway Patrol for high‑risk stop instruction, firearms training and close‑quarters tactics.
“No single agency can do this alone,” Welch said. “The more we train together, the stronger this region becomes. That’s the goal, and we’re going to keep pushing toward it.”
| Date Taken: |
05.05.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
05.05.2026 17:33 |
| Story ID: |
564453 |
| Location: |
TEXARKANA, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: |
23 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, Red River training program expands to 38 agencies, over 500 officers, by Adrienne Brown, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
