LaSalle Parish Sheriff Lane Windham conducted the annual Peace Officer’s Standards Training (POST) certifications in weapons last week at the LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office Rifle Range in Summerville.
LaSalle Parish Sheriff Lane Windham conducted the annual Peace Officer’s Standards Training (POST) certifications in weapons last week at the LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office Rifle Range in Summerville.
All law enforcement officers must complete and pass the course each year as part of their POST certification. This year, 70 officers participated during the event held April 22-24, representing the LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office (LPSO), Jena Police Department, Olla Police Department, Tullos Police Department, Urania Police Department, LaSalle Correction Center and several retired deputies and police officers.
Windham has been a POST certified firearms instructor for over 11 years and has certified LaSalle Parish deputies for the past 11 years. Last year, he certified the officers as the incoming sheriff but this year, as their official sheriff. He was assisted this year by Caldwell Parish Sheriff’s Office firearms instructor Zeb Tucker.
“The Louisiana POST requires all POST certified law enforcement personnel to qualify with their handgun once a year but the shotgun and rifle qualification is optional, since some agencies do not require or supply those weapons,” Windham said. “The advantages of having our officers qualify with their handguns, shotguns and rifles are that there is a record each year of that person’s abilities to use their weapon should the need arise. This helps keep them proficient in that weapon for its use as well as any litigation that may arise following the use of the weapon.”
The Sheriff said that he wanted to make sure all of his officers had a chance to qualify with their weapons so that in addition to being qualified with them, they would also have a working knowledge of each weapon in case in an emergency situation they would be able to use it correctly.
“Upon being elected Sheriff, I had made a promise to the people of LaSalle Parish that we would have one of the best trained and equipped departments in the state, so if a threat occurred to our schools or any other place in our parish, the LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office would be ready to respond immediately,” he said. “The Sheriff’s Office, along with our fellow brother and sister officers from Jena, Olla, Tullos and Urania, continue to train together so that we will be able to respond together for our parish.”
The Sheriff also noted that parish residents should be proud of their law enforcement officers for as a whole, they shot above average in all of the qualification courses.
“And, we have several officers that shoot a perfect score on the handgun course every year,” he said. “This should allow our citizens to know that should an emergency event occur; parish law enforcement is prepared to handle the situation professionally and the handling of their weapons will be performed in a manner to ensure the safety of all involved.”
The following is a breakdown of officers qualifying last week: LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office – 38 deputies Jena Police Department – 13 officers Olla Police Department – 4 officers Tullos Police Department – 4 officers Urania Police Department – 1 officer LaSalle Correctional Center – 3 officers Retired individuals – 9
In addition, 24 of those officers also qualified with their rifles, including officers with LPSO, JPD, OPD, UPD and TPD.