To enhance their investigative capabilities, Narcotics Sergeant Shane Griffith and Criminal Investigation Sergeant Jason Smith recently completed a comprehensive 40-hour course offered by the Louisiana Narcotics Officers Association. The course, held in New Orleans during the week of August 14-18, focused on advanced techniques and methodologies in narcotics investigations. Both officers successfully obtained certification upon completion.
Griffith expressed his satisfaction with the training, stating, “We learned a lot. They were good classes.” Emphasizing the significance of cross-training, Griffith highlighted the potential benefits of officers possessing versatile skill sets. “Sgt Smith is in Criminal Investigations, but if something happens to me, he can come over to the narcotics side of an investigation and he’ll be familiar with those types of investigations. And that’s why we do it; we utilize each person as much as we can. Everybody up here is cross-trained to do everybody else’s job, that way, if someone’s out sick or something, we don’t miss a beat.”
Meanwhile, the “30 Guns in 30 Days” gun raffle, designed to support the Special Response Team, remains underway and is scheduled to conclude on the final day of August. Deputy Chief Harrison underscored the increased law enforcement presence in school zones with the commencement of the new school year. “We’ll be highly visible in school zones, both before and after school now that school has started,” Harrison stated. Notably, Minden High School now benefits from the dedicated service of two School Resource Officers (SROs), Officer Ladarrius Joseph and recently appointed Officer Jemela Freeman. An upcoming feature in the Minden Press-Herald will delve into interviews with these two officers, providing insights into their roles within the school community.
The commitment to maintaining community safety was reiterated by Narcotics Sergeant Shane Griffith, who offered a stern reminder: “If you sell drugs in Minden you are going to jail.” Looking ahead, preparations are underway for an upcoming homicide conference in September. Griffith’s involvement as a member of the state board of directors positions him to play a key role in the event’s organization. He plans to engage local businesses in supporting the conference through donations for door prizes, with an eye toward potentially hosting the conference in northern Louisiana in the coming year.