BUCKHANNON — No matter where in the world you may find yourself – whether it be in a large city or somewhere much smaller – having the ability to defend yourself is knowledge that everyone should have.

Unfortunately, no one is immune from attack, no matter what the motivations of the attacker may be.

Perhaps an attack is inspired by personal gain in the case of muggings or purse snatchings, or perhaps an attack is brought about by even more sinister, personal reasons.

Whatever the case may be, in some situations, self-defense could very well be a life saver.

The Buckhannon Police Department recognizes this reality, and in our continuing effort to engage with our community, has taken steps to address these issues.

Over the past couple of years, Cpl. Marshall O’Connor, who is a five-year veteran with the department, has underwent a variety of trainings that has given him the ability to teach self-defense classes.

At the outset, Cpl. O’Connor partnered with a variety of student groups at West Virginia Wesleyan College to offer these classes. Each of the classes that has been taught there have been well-received, and these partnerships continue.

The self-defense classes that the Buckhannon Police Department offers through Cpl. O’Connor aren’t just isolated to one particular group or location, however. The Buckhannon Police Department is happy to offer these trainings to anyone in the community who has a desire to learn how to defend themselves.

The best part is, not only can you learn a valuable life skill from a trained police officer, but the classes that we offer are entirely free of charge.

Ideally, we would like to have a minimum class size of about 10 people, with no more than 20. If anyone is interested or would like more information, please contact Cpl. Marshall O’Connor at either 304-472-5723 or marshalloconnor@buckhannonpolice.com.