Minden Police Chief Jared McIver expressed his appreciation for the overwhelming success of recent fundraising events, emphasizing the positive impact on the Special Response Team (SRT) and the enhanced safety it brings to Minden and neighboring communities.
“Between the raffle, the cookoff, the donations — and folks are still donating — it’s blown our expectations out of the water,” said Police Chief McIver. “Now we can equip our SRT team. They’ve got quotes coming in like crazy, trying to get all of the equipment. It takes so much equipment: different radios, different firearms, specific helmets, specific body armor. It’s a few thousand dollars to outfit each officer. Through all this [fundraising] we can do that now.”
The Minden Police Department is prioritizing local vendors for their equipment needs, ensuring that the funds raised circulate back into the local community.
Chief McIver highlighted that the SRT not only serves Minden but can also assist in the north end of the parish, as well as in Claiborne and Bienville parishes. This local response capability reduces the need to rely on teams from neighboring parishes, significantly decreasing response times in critical situations.
“If you have to wait on someone coming out of a neighboring parish, that’s them deploying, meeting up, getting all their gear together, and then getting over here,” said McIver.
To maintain readiness, Chief McIver has strategically spread SRT members across multiple shifts, ensuring a swift response when needed. This approach allows a partial team to address issues independently or start preliminary measures while the full team assembles. Local teams also possess invaluable knowledge of the area, individuals, and likely suspects.
“We’re familiar with the area. We’re familiar with people; it’s probably somebody we’ve dealt with. We’re familiar with family members who can probably tell us things about them,” added McIver.
Sgt. Shane Griffith noted, “And, at the same time, we’re not taking Bossier’s or DeSoto’s away from their parishes.”
Officers on the SRT work regular shifts and dedicate their off-time to training, a testament to their commitment to the community.
Chief McIver emphasized the importance of training, stating, “We will respond to situations how we trained. With repetitive training, we’ll automatically follow protocol because that’s ingrained.”
SRT members have completed SWAT school and plan to pursue advanced SWAT courses and other specialized training, including hostage negotiation and sniper training. K9 teams are also undergoing training to ensure the best possible outcomes in high-stress situations.
“You’re trying to use those special weapons and tactics to avoid having to kill somebody in a situation. You’re doing everything you can to make the best outcome where nobody gets hurt,” said McIver.
Sgt. Griffith highlighted the department’s progress, noting, “Before Chief McIver took office, Minden Police Department didn’t have access to any programs for less-than-lethal, and now we have two less-than-lethal instructors.”
Investigative officers are also receiving new training, with officers attending specialized conferences and workshops, enhancing their skills and capabilities.
“The community sees what we’re trying to do, and donating is them wanting to be a part of it,” McIver said. “They’re investing in us, and the return is advanced safety.”
Chief McIver acknowledged the collaboration within the community, saying, “We’ve got a great city, a great council, a great mayor, our new fire chief, who is also on Homeland Security, and our great working relationship with the sheriff’s office — all that is working together now.”
Sgt. Griffith expressed optimism for the future, stating, “If you sit down and realize how much he [McIver] has accomplished in nine months, think about what’s going to be accomplished in four years. This is a completely different police department.”
Chief McIver concluded with a vision for the community, saying, “I want people to be proud of this department.”
For those interested in meeting local police officers, a staging area will be set up at the Webster Fair, providing an opportunity for community members to connect with the officers and build stronger relationships with those who serve them.