By Pat Culverhouse

Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jeremy Haas and Capt. Joel Thomas put their expertise on display last week during the 2025 Louisiana POST corrections certification class held at the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Haas served as lead Master Instructor (Instructor Trainer/Certifier), joined by Thomas, for the two-week course designed to address the realities of being a leader in a correctional environment.

According to the course description, Haas and Thomas, along with Master Instructors from Lafayette and Livingston parishes sheriff’s offices, helped leaders understand their true role including hiring and retaining staff, leading the generation of new employees, having difficult conversations and effectively transitioning from peer to supervisor.

Haas said the session was not the average law enforcement class where participants simply attend and receive a certificate.

“It is two weeks of learning to teach adults. Students are in class for ten to twelve hours a day,” he said. “They have a 20-page lesson plan that must be turned in at the halfway point. They will spend hours with me and the other Master Instructors doing teach-backs of the lessons we have been responsible for keeping current for the past ten to fifteen years.”

Haas said he was “…excited the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office could lead the way for Louisiana POST training with me and Joel Thomas there to help teach and guide students for the full two-week course.”

Webster Sheriff Jason Parker said Haas and Thomas represented his office well as instructors at the certification class.

“It’s an honor to be asked to teach a certification class and their selection as instructors shows how well respected they are among other sheriff’s offices in the state,” Parker said. “They deserve the praise they have received for their knowledge and hard work.”