HAHNVILLE – Six new field training officers graduated St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office 12-week training program recently, according to Sheriff Greg C. Champagne.

The six are Cpl. Bobby Gorman, Cpl. Boyd Frickey, Deputies Tommy Cummings, Jay Landry, Juan Pinnelos and Brad Walsh. Each was hand-picked for the program by their immediate supervisors and Patrol Division Commander Capt. Fred Oubre.

The sheriff’s office now has seven FTO sergeants and 18 FTOs., Champagne said.

Field training officers lead new deputies through the department’s training program. After completing 12 weeks at the academy and 12 weeks of post-academy training, graduates must complete a 12-week, on-the-job training program with the FTOs. In their 13th week on the job, recruits ride with an FTO sergeant who reviews their competency.

Champagne said, “It’s an extensive training program. In fact, our department has a reputation for having one of the region’s most thorough, rigorous training programs around.”

All St. Charles Parish deputies undergo 80 weeks of annual training, covering a wide range of areas including CPR, traffic stops and handling domestic violence incidents.

“To my knowledge, we’re of the only sheriff’s departments that requires officers to undergo this type of training,” Champagne explained. “We take pride in knowing that our deputies are among the best trained to do the job of protecting our community.”

Training commander Lt. Rocco Dominic, FTO Coordinator Lt. Gil Schmidt and FTO Field Supervisor Lt. Mark Candies oversee the training process.