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LULING — Lt. Chris Crawford, Lt. Kaiana Knight and Captain Marshall Carmouche of the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office graduated from the National Command and Staff College. They were among 23 students who graduated July 23 from the NCSC Session 012 held at the St. Charles Sheriff’s Office Training Facility in Luling.

The National Command and Staff College enhances leadership skills to build and promote community safety and mutual trust, maximize officer safety and wellness while reducing agency and officer liability and risks. The 10-week course is considered graduate level study. Students were required to listen to lectures, watch videos, and participate in classroom discussions, readings, essay-writing, case studies, and a group project.

Lt. Knight received the class’s top honor, The Magnus Award. This honor is given to the top officer who exhibits the virtues of truthfulness, integrity, honor, nobility, humility, faithfulness, respect, responsibility, prudence and gratitude. The recipient must show the ability of shared vision and shared leadership, and also serve as a catalyst for progress and good health and wellness.

Captain Carmouche and his team won the college’s Capstone Award for presenting the top group research project, “Officer Involved Shooting: Now What?” The project required extensive research, writing and critical thinking, concluding with a presentation of the project. The team focused on how agencies in Louisiana as well as nationwide are managing an officer involved shooting investigation and establish best practices for credibility and trust in the community. They addressed such points as what agency – state or federal – conducts the investigation, what happens once the investigation is complete, and how agencies manage community relations and media releases.