Hiebert gives drug awareness seminar
Staff writer
Approximately 33 Court Service Officers (CSO) from the eastern part of Kansas came to Hillsboro Friday and met at the Scout House in Memorial Park. They came to attend a drug awareness seminar class taught by Hillsboro Assistant Police Chief Jessey Hiebert.
The CSO's came from Marion, Chase, Dickinson counties and other communities from the eastern part of Kansas.
"This is an honor for Jessey to be called to instruct these parole officers," Hillsboro Police Chief Dan Kinning said.
Hiebert, who began training in 1998, has attended and is certified to teach drug awareness to various groups and organizations.
According to Hiebert his training includes attending a four-day conference each year on drug awareness issues and learning new and updated material. He is scheduled to leave for this year's conference on March 22-25 held in Topeka. The conference is held in a different city each year.
Hiebert received his research certificate and has permission from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to use the various drugs from a lab in Chicago, Ill.
For teaching purposes. Hiebert had to receive a certificate from the Kansas State of Pharmacy in order to teach about the drugs.
With these qualifications, Hiebert has given more than 100 presentations. He has given the 90-minute presentation to area local groups and organizations. These groups include Tabor College, Greeley Gas (currently known as Atmos Energy), the Hutchinson School system, the Lions and Kiwanis clubs, as well as the Boy and Girl Scouts.
Hiebert has been to almost every school district around the area. Most recently, he presented a workshop to the Hillsboro High School and Hillsboro Middle School staffs.
"Fifty percent of the time I bring the dog, Rico," Hiebert said.
Rico is the drug dog that Hiebert has trained and uses in various drug operations.
In his presentation with the CSO's on Friday, Hiebert was not able to bring in the dog because he had to cover more drugs and go into more detail about the different drugs. Hiebert also had to go into more detail of what the CSO's need to look for when they visit their parolees and their homes.
The CSO's received certificates for successfully being able to detect the odor of marijuana.
Also in the class on Friday, the attendees were introduced to the different paraphernalia used for drugs. All the paraphernalia Hiebert uses for his demonstrations he has collected during drug busts in Marion County.
Officer Brad Richards assisted Hiebert in letting the group smell heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine. This was done so that members of the group could learn to detect the odor of the various drugs.
Hiebert said, "I would be willing to present a drug awareness class to any group of citizens or organizations that would like me to."
Hiebert is willing to do a demonstration with a minimum of five people to a maximum of 25 people in a session.
If anyone in the community would like to be updated on the various illegal drugs available, give Hiebert a call at the police department at (620) 9473440.
