The Regional Counterdrug Training Academy (RCTA) provides training to law enforcement agencies that are actively involved in the fight against drugs.  Serving the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee, RCTA is located on the grounds of the Naval Air Station in Meridian, Miss., and in Hattiesburg, Miss., at Camp Shelby. Law enforcement personnel from all four states attend the academy classes, which are provided without cost to qualifying agencies.

Throughout Sheriff Randy Seal’s first term as sheriff, he has assigned Washington Parish Drug Task Force members and other deputies to this training. As a result of their participation and recognition by RCTA administrators, three narcotics detectives from the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office have been selected as instructors for this strategic training initiative.

Lt. Brent Goings and Detective Jason Garbo served as instructors for the latest class on “Back Country Tactics and Tracking.” This specialty class prepares law enforcement officers to apply tactical tracking skills in both urban and back country environments.

The skills are very helpful in search and rescue operations, locating missing persons and fugitive recovery. One of the students in the latest class, Washington Parish narcotics detective Steve Adcox, was selected as a future instructor based on his class performance.

Goings, Garbo and Adcox will instruct two more classes of Back Country Tactics and Tracking in 2016. In addition, they have been asked to assist with an Operational Skills class also to be taught this year. In September, they will help write the curriculum for an advanced operational skills class that will be available for students in 2017.

Inside the WPSO, the three officers work together as members of the Narcotics Division, the SWAT Team and the Search and Rescue Team.

Seal commented on the teaching partnership between RCTA and the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office.

“I am so pleased to have three of our fine officers selected as instructors for this very important training,” he said. “It is an honor for the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office to be recognized as a leader in in this area of law enforcement. Our officers have proven themselves to be worthy of the task of instructing others, and the citizens of Washington Parish benefit greatly from their expertise and service.

“During my first term as your sheriff, I have made a concerted effort to enhance training opportunities for all of our staff and will continue to do so in years to come.”