Candidates for Avoyelles Parish sheriff answer questions

This Saturday Avoyelles Parish will elect a man to serve as its sheriff for the next four years. Incumbent Doug Anderson finished second in the primary election to challenger David Dauzat.
Both men were asked to respond to five questions concerning major issues in the campaign. Following are their responses:

Question 1: What is the single biggest issue facing the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office in the next few years?

ANDERSON: It is difficult to pinpoint a single challenge. Our office faces many challenges, as with any other law enforcement agency.
The continued early release of convicted offenders is always a concern. This has the potential to increase crimes committed which in turn places the offenders back into the system as pre-trial defendants, causing further financial strain on the taxpayer and the entire judicial system.
We also are operating with aged building facilities. We are currently seeking grant funding for major renovations and improvements to our facilities.
I foresee drug problems will remain an issue within our state.
We have a highly trained criminal investigations unit that is working hard to combat the issue of illegal drug sales and usage. We have been very successful in the past in the vast amounts of drugs that we have been able to recover and the arrest of those responsible.
We will face many challenges in the next few years, but I am more prepared than ever to handle those challenges.

DAUZAT: The single biggest issue facing the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office in the next few years, in my opinion, is the substance abuse problem we have in the parish. 
I feel this way because substance abuse has caused many other problems in the parish, such as homicides, domestic abuse, theft and exaggerated depression, which in some cases has led to suicide.
As your sheriff, I would be proactive in fighting this substance abuse problem, which would eventually reduce the budget’s expense on investigations and rehabilitation.

2. Can Avoyelles return to the days – or should it – of being a profitable prison site for federal, state and other parish inmates?

ANDERSON: Avoyelles parish is a very profitable prison site for federal, state and other parish inmates. I am unaware of why someone would indicate that it is not profitable?
Anyone who is familiar with our budget is aware that taxes alone are not enough to fund all of the functions of the Sheriff’s Office. Therefore, we depend on the profitability from the jails to supplement services like patrol, criminal investigations, tax collections and civil services.
The Avoyelles parish jails have succeeded in profitability throughout my terms in office.
I have constructed an in-house operated commissary which returns an average of over $300,000 annually into the Sheriff’s Office budget.
I have increased commissions from various inmate revenues, maintained a steady population of offenders and consolidated facilities, all which returned more profits to the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office.
More profitability has led to capital improvements, technology advancements and, most importantly, increased funding for public safety.
Through my efforts with other state and parish leaders, we have maintained a steady offender population, which continues to increase, providing for maximum efficiency and maximum profitability.
I am proud to have operated the jails to their maximum financial potential over the last 11 years.
In addition to the profitability of the jails under my administration, there are some public services that the Parish jails provide that are not profitable. Not every service a governmental entity provides is for a profit. We provide local housing of Avoyelles Parish offenders, and we provide a vast amount of offender labor to local governments and non-profit agencies. Not everything that is profitable is of social value, and not everything of social value is profitable.

DAUZAT: Avoyelles could return to the days of being a profitable prison site for federal, state and other parish inmates once the existing prison’s problems are addressed and corrected.

3. Does APSO have an adequate number of patrol deputies? Explain why you believe that. How many employees are in the department?

ANDERSON: Our current staff is doing an outstanding job providing services to the residents of Avoyelles. Every call for services they receive is responded to, and whatever action is necessary is taken.
We also have three public high schools staffed with highly trained school resource officers, provide strong levels of courthouse security and lead a Neighborhood Watch program, among many other services. Each task is adequately staffed by highly trained and qualified patrol officers. I am always on the lookout for competent, qualified people who want to work in law enforcement.
Currently, our employee staff averages about 225 employees. We have adequately staffed each operation of the Sheriff’s Office.
I am proud to say that we now offer competitive salary and benefits packages when compared to other law enforcement agencies throughout the state, which helps us to retain quality employees.
The conundrum facing all law enforcement is the need to uphold the highest standards of professionalism in an increasingly violent society, while ensuring the applicant pool is sufficient to meet the needs of the community they serve.
I simply cannot lower the standard required for hiring patrol deputies knowing that the people hired to serve the public are not capable of performing the task.

DAUZAT: The Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office does not have an adequate number of patrol deputies.
As far as I know, here recently, there are approximately three or sometimes four deputies on each shift. Shift personnel are identified as a lieutenant (shift supervisor), a sergeant (first-line supervisor to patrolman) and patrolman. 
In my opinion, having worked the parish as a law enforcement officer, I would like to have approximately six deputies on each shift.  Avoyelles Parish is a big parish of approximately 866 square miles. When answering calls for service, the deputies cannot respond in a timely manner.
The exact number of employees is unknown to me, at this time, unless I would make a public records request and purchase a list. According to the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office old website, which appears to haven’t been updated in the last four years, there were 235 employees. 
A completely different, new website was made in the last week or two, but doesn’t list a number of employees in each division. 
There are approximately 200 employees according to Sheriff Anderson’s comments on the Gatorbytes radio show.

4. Some parishes have substations to provide quicker response time and create a community connection with residents living a distance from the parish seat where the main office is located. Would this be feasible or beneficial in Avoyelles Parish?

ANDERSON: Anyone who is educated on how Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office receives funding and how it is spent would know that another source of revenue from taxes would be needed in order to construct, maintain and staff substations. Substations are considered obsolete methods of operations by most law enforcement agencies.
By using modern technology, the use of cellular phones, computer equipment, mobile internet services and various types of emergency response equipment, each patrol vehicle serves as a “mobile substation.” This allows for personnel to maintain law enforcement presence throughout the Parish.
Maybe this is a question for the taxpayers of Avoyelles parish. Do the citizens want to take money from public safety for the purpose of construction and maintenance of unnecessary building facilities?
I believe we need to continue to move the Sheriff’s Office forward in ever-changing times, embrace the technology available and work smarter.

DAUZAT: I do like the idea of having substations in different areas of the parish. However, I feel that they would not be feasible and/or beneficial. 
Substations would be positive for community connection, but when it comes to the budget and/or public safety it would not be feasible and a good idea.
As a sheriff I would have many concerns. Do we have the money to put a dispatcher there? Or do we use the money to hire another deputy in that area?  Who is going to pay for the building, equipment, land, utilities and upkeep? Will the substation become a hangout for gossip and a cup of coffee?  Who’s going to supply all this coffee? 
If someone wanted to commit a crime, the violator would know when to do it based on predictable coffee drinking/gossip sessions. I would rather have a deputy in his car during his shift, patrolling the community and doing business checks.

5. There have been comments concerning the operation of the Avoyelles Parish Detention Centers. Is this criticism justified? If so, what would you do to correct any problems? If not, what would you do to alleviate people’s concerns and correct those perceptions?

ANDERSON: Without knowing the source and specific nature of those comments, it is very difficult to determine the validity of the comments being made or the credibility of whomever is making the comments.
As a jail facility that depends mostly on state funding, the state monitors and examines our jail facilities closely and makes frequent visits to see that we meet high standards for operating jails. Every possible aspect of how our jails operate is examined -- such as the public health, food services, medical services, dietary needs, fire hazards, living spaces, etc.
If we would not be in compliance with their strict guidelines our jails would not be operating.
We have invested a great deal in building renovations, technology, services and improved the living conditions in our jail facilities since I have taken office.
APSO jails are considered one of the preferred jail facilities in the State of Louisiana, which is one of the reasons we have a steady and increasing inmate population in competition with other parishes.

DAUZAT: I feel the criticism is justified concerning the operation of the Avoyelles Parish Detention Centers. 
When a victim, family members of a victim or the general public sees an incarcerated individual enjoying prison life through social media, it’s very disheartening.
I feel the Sheriff’s Office has not made the public aware of escapes in a timely manner. 
Family members of incarcerated individuals should be notified when their family has been a victim of prison violence.
In the 11.5 years that the current administration has been in office, I do not recall the sheriff’s office having a K-9. These dogs are extremely beneficial when fighting drugs in a prison environment. 
I would place these dogs where work release has to enter back into the prisons, as well as, searching inmates. I would also use the dogs to check the prison yards before letting the prisoners out for activities.
I would have metal detectors set in place for the inmates and workers. I would also search the workers’ vehicles.
If an inmate was suspected of using drugs, I would drug test them. 
I would encourage unscheduled dorm room visits by prison guards during their shift.