PEARL, Miss.–The effort to fight drugs in Mississippi just got stronger with this month’s graduation of 28 officers from a specialized six-week drug enforcement course at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Academy in Rankin County.
The officers are now the state’s newest narcotics agents.
“As we try and augment the shortage of narcotics officers, the addition of these agents will significantly increase the ranks of MBN as it moves forward in its mission to reduce the illegal drug trade in our state,” said Public Safety Commissioner Albert Santa Cruz.
The officers all have previous law enforcement experience, but are now trained in complex undercover operations and investigations; use of force; ethics; asset forfeiture; firearms; as well as physical fitness, said state Director Sam Owens.
“It’s been more than a decade since we’ve had a class of agents. This one was made possible with the support of Gov. Phil Bryant and with funding appropriated by the 2014 Legislature,” said Owens.
Each agent got their district assignments upon graduation. They will work with veteran agents for at least three months before they begin to work independently.
