Front (L-R) Chief Deputy Jason Chang and Sheriff Jeff Starcher;
Back (L-R) Deputy C. J. Myers and Deputy Wiley Raines
Over the past several months, officers of the Calhoun County Sheriff's Department have completed a variety of training.
"We may be a small agency, but we have a group of highly-trained, dedicated officers," said Sheriff Jeff Starcher.
Starcher said the department now has three certified instructors, the department plans to be as self-sufficient as possible when it comes to all annual law enforcement training requirements, eliminating the need for frequent classes offered by outside agencies, which will help preserve the department's already-thin training budget.
"Our instructors can offer a variety of training to outside agencies, which could bring a little extra money into the county's general fund," Starcher said.
Recently completed training includes.
- SWAT training - Sheriff Jeff Starcher and Deputy C. J. Myers - Instructor Development - Deputy Wiley Raines and Chief Deputy Jason Chang.
- Field Training Officer (FTO) - Deputy Wiley Raines, Chief Deputy Jason Chang, Sheriff Jeff Starcher - Drug Investigations and Informant Management - Sheriff Jeff Starcher and Chief Deputy Jason Chang.
- Child Exploitation, Sex Trafficking, Sexual Assault Investigations for Rural Investigators, and Elder Abuse - Deputy Wiley Raines.
- Mental Health Training for Law Enforcement - Sheriff Jeff Starcher, and Deputy C. J. Myers.
Starcher also said that the department already handles it's own firearm qualifications, eliminating the need to pay another agency to qualify his deputies. Starcher has been a law enforcement instructor, and a dually certified firearms instructor since 2015.
Deputy Raines will be attending a mandated Prevention Resource Officer's Conference next week.
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