Stephanie Prater has 30 years of law enforcement and security experience and has worked for a public school district police department for the last twenty-one years. During those thirty years, she spent seven years in the United States Air Force as a Security Specialist, worked as an undercover narcotics agent, return to school (truancy) officer, and is the first female in her department to be promoted through the ranks to her current position as Deputy Chief of Police.
Stephanie has an Associate Degree in Security Administration from the Community College of the Air Force, a Bachelor’s in Applied Science for Criminal Justice Administration from Park University, and a master’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Georgia College and State University. She also serves as an adjunct instructor for the Criminal Justice Technology degree and certification programs for a local technical college.
During her 25-year career in law enforcement, Stephanie has completed hundreds of classroom hours on public safety training on the use of force, school violence, school search and seizure, emergency operations planning, exercise design and evaluation, etc. She has more than 12 years of experience in conducting school safety, security, and emergency preparedness assessments, including the climate, culture, safety, security, and emergency preparedness assessment project for 205 schools operated by Orange County Public Schools in Florida in 2014. Stephanie also conducted assessments for the Broward County, Florida Public School District in a project to assess 234 schools and 21 support facilities. Stephanie has also assisted in the development of school safety and emergency plans and procedures for school districts and train-the-trainer programs.