SQUAD TRAINS FOR DRUG TASK FORCE

HUMBOLDT - More than a dozen area police officers are undergoing weeklong
federal training to better handle the risks involved with drug-related crimes.

A U.S. Defense Department drug interdiction group, known as Joint Task
Force Six, is providing the training. During the week, the officers will
learn how to execute high-risk drug warrants and how to deal with hostage
situations. Officials say this is the first time such training has been
offered in rural West Tennessee.

The military task force is located at Biggs Army Airfield in Fort Bliss,
Texas. The group began the training Monday and is offering it through
Friday at no cost to the five Humboldt officers and 15 others involved from
Trenton, Union City, East Ridge and a local drug task force. Humboldt asked
for the training.

The Humboldt officers will become part of a special response team when the
training is finished.

"It's getting more dangerous," Humboldt Police Chief Raymond Simmons said.
"You just never know what you're going to have to deal with, and you need
to have a special unit in place to deal with it to avoid the loss of life
and property.

"It's more of the rule now than the exception when we run a warrant for
drugs that we find weapons," Simmons said.

Humboldt officers involved are Patrolmen Reynard Buchanan, Terry Sumner,
Mark Reid and Tim Fowler and Lt. Curtis Baxter. Reid is already a trained
hostage negotiator, Simmons said.

Former President George Bush started the training program as part of his
"War on Drugs" in 1989, said Stan Hernandez, a master sergeant with the
task force training officers this week in Humboldt and Trenton.

The task force is committed to providing support to federal, regional,
state and local law enforcement to help "deter domestic production and
reduce the flow of illicit drugs into the United States," according to
information about the task force.

Officers spent Tuesday getting firearms training at the Humboldt Police
firing range. The next three days will involve activities including vehicle
assault, officer recovery and "dynamic entry." The latter is "going in,
kicking down doors, that kind of situation," Hernandez said.

Buchanan believes the training will be useful.

"During these times, you have school shootings and things of that nature,"
he said. "During situations like that, you need special training like we're
getting this week. I think it's real good."