| Our Instructors |
John ‘Jake’ Kelton
Jake is the founder and original designer of the MERIT Training Program and one of the main
instructors. His educational background includes a Bachelors of Science in Chemistry and Biology,
Drug Enforcement Training, Certified in Clandestine Lab Response, Confined Space Entry, and Site
Safety. He was employed by Pennsylvania State Police for ten years and assigned to the Clandestine
Lab Response Team (CLRT) for seven years. While assigned to the CLRT Jake responded to and
processed more than 350 illegal methamphetamine labs in Pennsylvania and New York. He has aided
in the development of legislation to combat the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine and is
currently employed as a Law Enforcement Officer in the area of Methamphetamine Lab Investigations.
Jake created MERIT due to the absence of a training program specifically designed to instruct officers
to recognize and investigate methamphetamine labs. Since the original pilot program MERIT has
evolved to include training for Parole and Probation Officers, Constables and Children and Youth
Advocates. Jake has certified more than 700 officers in the area of methamphetamine lab recognition
and investigation.
Jake is the founder and original designer of the MERIT Training Program and one of the main
instructors. His educational background includes a Bachelors of Science in Chemistry and Biology,
Drug Enforcement Training, Certified in Clandestine Lab Response, Confined Space Entry, and Site
Safety. He was employed by Pennsylvania State Police for ten years and assigned to the Clandestine
Lab Response Team (CLRT) for seven years. While assigned to the CLRT Jake responded to and
processed more than 350 illegal methamphetamine labs in Pennsylvania and New York. He has aided
in the development of legislation to combat the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine and is
currently employed as a Law Enforcement Officer in the area of Methamphetamine Lab Investigations.
Jake created MERIT due to the absence of a training program specifically designed to instruct officers
to recognize and investigate methamphetamine labs. Since the original pilot program MERIT has
evolved to include training for Parole and Probation Officers, Constables and Children and Youth
Advocates. Jake has certified more than 700 officers in the area of methamphetamine lab recognition
and investigation.
| All MERIT GROUP instructors have extensive knowledge and experience regarding the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine. |
Doug McWilliams
Doug is also one of the main instructors and has currently trained more than 300
officers in the area of methamphetamine lab recognition and investigation. Hailing from an alternate
educational background Doug adds an invaluable ere of reality to the training. Doug has extensive
experience in the area of covert methamphetamine manufacture and tactics utilized by
methamphetamine “Cooks” to; manufacture, gather precursor chemicals, and evade law enforcement
detection. Doug is also tasked with erecting the mock methamphetamine labs used in the practical
hands-on training.
Doug has been a part of the methamphetamine culture and can answer questions that most
instructors would only have surface understanding of. Doug is a certified instructor for the MERIT
Training Program and will soon be instructing the MERIT Marijuana Operations Training.
Steve Billman
Steve began his emergency response career in the Fire Service in 1982 eventually becoming a
Nationally Registered Paramedic, Hazmat Technician, Confined Space Rescue Technician as well as
credentialed Instructor in these disciplines. While involved with Hazardous Materials response, there
was very little involvement with Law Enforcement response to methamphetamine labs. However
the instances where EMS/Fire contact was made with labs and users became more common. In 2003
Steve began including Meth Lab Awareness training in annual EMS refresher classes to improve
responder awareness and safety.
In 2008 as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff, Steve obtained certification and started working with the meth
lab response team. Steve has successfully completed the Combined Meth Lab Response and Meth
Lab Tactical Entry training presented by MERIT Training Programs LLC and since that time has
participated in more than two dozen lab responses. Having experience from the Fire and Law
Enforcement perspectives has allowed Steve to assist his agencies in creating a close working
relationship that has produced efficient lab response with officer safety at the forefront.
Steve currently serves as the Chief of Training & Safety and Deputy Hazmat Coordinator for a career
Fire Department of 140+ members. Steve is also POST Certified Deputy Sheriff and Meth Lab
Technician.
Daniel Chauvin, Jr.
Daniel is a 14 year law enforcement veteran. During his career, he has served in the Patrol,
Investigations, Narcotics, and Special Operations Divisions. Daniel is currently assigned as a
Criminal Patrol Sergeant. He has supervised teams and units in Patrol, Special Operations, Dive, and
SWAT. Daniel is a Louisiana law enforcement instructor, certified by the Louisiana POST Council
after completing the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Instructor Development Course in 2007.
During his tenure, Daniel has served as a Field Training Officer for the Patrol Division, Narcotics
Division, and Special Operations Division and is currently assigned as a Field Training Officer
Instructor.
Daniel is certified in Clandestine Laboratory Response and served as a member of the ClanLab
response team. Daniel has been a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics team since 2003. He
has served on the SWAT team as an entry man, team leader, and training coordinator and is the
current Assistant Commander of the unit. Daniel was also assigned to the Underwater Recovery
Unit from 2002 until 2011. He served that unit as a diver, team leader, training coordinator and,
from 2009 to 2011, as the unit’s commanding officer. Daniel is an experienced SCUBA diver. He is a
Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) Master Scuba Diver Trainer, Specialty Dive
Instructor, and Public Safety Diver Instructor.
Daniel is a graduate of McNeese State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.
Joseph Cotton
Joseph has 17 years of law enforcement experience with a Bachelor of Science degree from Austin
Peay State University. He has worked as a patrol officer, a special agent with the state of Tennessee
and is currently a special agent with the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections,
Division of Probation and Parole. While employed with the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage
Commission, Joseph conducted investigations in narcotics, organized crime and alcohol related
crimes. Joseph also participated in the Governor's Task Force on Marijuana Eradication in Tennessee.
During a four year period the GTFME eradicated more than 1.3 million plants across the state of
Tennessee. Joseph has been employed with the Louisiana Probation and Parole for the past seven
years. He is currently a Special Agent III and a staff instructor at the state POST Probation and Parole
police academy. Joseph is also an adjunct instructor with the Slidell Regional Police Academy in
Slidell, Louisiana.
Joseph has been a certified law enforcement instructor since 1998. He is a certified instructor in
firearms, PPCT Defensive Tactics, Aerko Chemical Weapons, ALEERT Active Shooter (train the
trainer), American Heart Association CPR/First Aid (train the trainer), and Stress and Suicide in Law
Enforcement. Joseph also instructs tactical entries, tactical traffic stops, drug laws and awareness,
and court room testimony.
Brian Danigole
Brian Danigole is an adjunct instructor for the MERIT Training Programs LLC. Brian started his law
enforcement career in 1994, and during that time Brian has worked in criminal patrol, K-9, robbery,
burglary, economic crimes, street crimes, and narcotics. Brian is also one of the crisis negotiators on
his department’s SWAT team. Brian is presently assigned to the narcotics division at his agency and
is responsible for narcotics operations, which includes the investigation and processing of
clandestine methamphetamine labs. Brian is a trained narcotics field training officer, and has trained
newly appointed detectives coming into the narcotics unit at his agency.
Brian has received an undergraduate and graduate degree in criminal justice, and has graduated from
the Instructor Development Course offered through the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Brian is also
an adjunct college instructor for two different universities, and has developed courses for two
universities as well.
If I can answer any questions that you may have please feel free to contact me at
bdanigole@the-meritgroup.com. Please stay safe out there and take care of your brothers and
sisters in blue.
Scott Saigeon
Scott is a 16 year tenured police officer. Scott supervised a 13 person platoon in a correctional
facility that housed 300 men. Following experience in a correctional facility, Scott was transferred to
criminal patrol and eventually a street crimes unit. Later, Scott was transferred to the narcotics
division including narcotics investigations and prosecution. Scott has completed hundreds of
investigations in illicit narcotics and investigated and processed more than 30 methamphetamine
labs. Scott has conducted numerous search warrants and dynamic entries. Scott is a certified field
training officer and responsible for training newly assigned narcotics detectives. While working as a
police officer, Scott is also pursuing a bachelors degree in criminal justice.
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| THE MERIT GROUP / 12525 Kerr Road North East Pa 16428 / 1-888-61-DRUGS(37847) |
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