Launch the media gallery 1 playerOfficer Wes Tjaden Speaks on Vaping
January 07, 2019
Officer Wes Tjaden, an almost fifteen year veteran with the Grand Island Police Department, will speak to student at Burwell Public Schools about the dangers of vaping and other drug related topics. He will address the student body with school assemblies at 10:30 am for elementary students and 1:30 pm for high school students on Monday, January 21st. Officer Tjaden will also present a program for parents and community members at 7:30 pm that evening.
Officer Tjaden is currently assigned to the Grand island Senior High School district as a School Resource Officer after serving over nine years on the patrol division. He works as a uniformed officer in the schools, is a Central Nebraska Gang Intelligence Unit Officer, as well as a Certified Drug Recognition Expert. Previously, he worked in the Hall County Department of Corrections as a corrections officer.
Officer Tjaden became a Certified Drug Recognition Expert in 2007 and became a certified Drug Recognition Expert Instructor in 2013. His certification is recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He is a guest instructor at the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center for Standardized Field Sobriety Testing training and teaches Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE). Officer Tjaden has presented "Drugs in Society" programs for Nebraska State Probation and Parole, has presented twice at the Heartland Juvenile Services Conference regarding drug identification and impairment with juveniles, conducted presentations on drug and electronic nicotine device recognition for Grand Island Public Schools, TeamMates Mentoring Program, Boys and Girls Town Shelters, and has done two parent education programs.
Officer Tjaden also received the MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) Award in 2010 and 2016. He is a recognized member of the Pennsylvania DUI Association.
Parents and community members are encouraged to attend the evening session at 7:30 pm on January 21st and to meet Officer Tjaden.
