HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is providing safety training for HART bus drivers.

"The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has phenomenal training resources, so it's exciting for us to come and bring some instructors here, run through some scenarios, and help prevent violence towards passengers and drivers," said Sheriff Chad Chronister.

This was the first training class the agency has hosted for HART, teaching drivers the best practices for dealing with hostile passengers.

"You should be picking up on these little cues, these little clues that are out there," Deputy Anthony Caran told the group.

The training class follows the deadly stabbing of HART bus driver Thomas Dunn on May 18.

Drivers are being taught how to develop situational awareness and de-escalation techniques.

The goal is to teach drivers how to calm, quell and escape conflicts while driving their routes.

"It's to train your brain that when you see something different, that should key in the back of your brain to say ‘That's different,’" Caran said.

In addition to the workshop, HART announced last month that it plans to install safety barriers on all of its buses.

The passenger accused of stabbing Dunn, Justin McGriff, remains in jail with no bond.

He is charged with first degree murder.