About Me
This is D’mitri Cannon
•A practitioner of Martial Arts- Taekwondo since 1973, presently 6th Degree Black Belt Master Instructor registered with the World Taekwondo Federation and Korean Taekwondo Association.
•Taught Taekwondo classes at Meharry Medical College and Fisk University, also as a part of Metro. Nashville Public Schools, and Board of Parks and Recreation.
•Commissioner of Martial Arts Competition for the Tennessee Sportsfest ( Tenn.’s State Olympics ) 1992- 1994.
•Began Bodyguard and Security experience in 1978 with assignments such as:
•Haitian President- Bertrand Aristide and entourage in conjunction with Secret Service Agents during Nashville visit.
•Nigerian Ambassador- Dr. Hassan Adamu (Nashville visit).
•Head of Security for Bobby Jones Gospel, also the Annual Gospel Explosion with B.E.T. cable TV.
•Annual UNCF ( United Negro College Fund ) Telethons.
• Annual African Street Festival.
•Gospel Today Magazine’s- Annual Gospel Heritage Weekend Concert.
• Began Law Enforcement career with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department ( MNPD)as a Patrol Officer in 1984 and worked in the Patrol Division for all 32 years of my career until retiring.
•As a part of MNPD’s progression into addressing Nashville’s changing community needs. Was chosen as a part of our first cadre of officers trained and certified in 1988 to begin teaching the Drug Abuse Resistance Education ( D.A.R.E. ) curriculum inside Tennessee schools, beginning with Nashville.
•In 1989, was certified as a D.A.R.E. Mentor ( Trainer of Officers ) and began the training for other police departments officers in the state of Tennessee.
•Served as President of the Tennessee D.A.R.E. Officers Association- 1990 and 1991.
•In 1996, was one of our first officers trained and certified as a School Resource Officer ( S.R.O. ) by the National Association of School Resource Officers ( NASRO ). In 2005, received Advanced S.R.O. certification. In 2008, I was Awarded NASRO’s highest status of ” National Practitioner ” at the National Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.
•In 1996, Nashville’s need to address our growing gang violence. Was certified in the Gang Resistance Education And Training ( G.R.E.A.T. ) curriculum for our Middle School students.
•In 1997, we began our annual G.R.E.A.T. Summer Camps and I’ve served in the posts of Camp Administrator, Camp Manager, Team Leader, etc.
•Certified 2002 as a Co- Facilitator for our G.R.E.A.T. Families curriculum, were we go to students neighborhoods and meet with whole families together.
•In 2009, finished the training and was certified as a G.R.E.A.T. National Training Team Member. As a National trainer, was responsible for the training of law enforcement agencies officers in the G.R.E.A.T. curriculum across America, and now internationally.
•Through these D.A.R.E. and G.R.E.A.T. curriculums combined, I’ve personally taught and graduated over 10,000 students in schools where I served as the S.R.O.