By Bonnie Culverhouse
Minden City Council added to the police department’s ranks Monday night, while giving two more officers a raise in rank.
In a unanimous vote with all council members present, Anthony Crittenden and Cadyn O’Connor became full time officers.
Chief Jared McIver said Crittenden received his POST certification from Bossier Parish Police Academy in November 2020. He is currently employed with the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Department as a School Resource Officer.
O’Connor is also able to begin immediately, having received his POST certification as a police officer from Caddo Parish Police Academy in November 2022.
“With their certifications, upon hiring, they can enter the department’s Field Training Program immediately and start serving and protecting the citizens of Minden without having to attend a police academy in the future,” McIver said.
Officers First Class Reece Tewell and Christopher Cayer will be known as sergeants after the council meeting.
Tewell scored a 75 percent on his Fire and Police Civil Service Board police Sergeant Examination, while Cayer scored 82 percent.
In other business, the council also voted unanimously on the following items:
- Appointments to the Minden Downtown/Residential Historic Commission;
- Appointments to Minden Main Street Program/Downtown Development Commission;
- Appointments to the Housing Authority of the City of Minden Board
- Employee Manual Revision;
- Authority to advertise for bids for 2022-2023 street improvement projects;
- Authority to advertise for bids for the LCDBG sewer rehabilitation project;
- A resolution that adopts a Language access Plan for limited English proficiency as required by LCDBG and any other federal funding;
- Authority for Mayor Nick Cox to enter into a contract to retain the services of Neil Erwin, attorney at law, to serve as “outside counsel” for the City of Minden and to represent the city in matters pertaining to land use, zoning, employment and other legal matters as may become necessary. Under the supervision of City Attorney Jimbo Yocom;
- Financial report for December 2022; and,
- Police report for December 2022.