2009 "Kiss a Cop" Event
LPSO as well as other local agencies participated in the annual "Kiss a Cop" event hosted by Faith House. The event is held every October during Domestic Violence Awareness month.
The staff and residents of Faith House host "Kiss a Cop" and invite law enforcement to have dinner with the children currently residing at Faith House.
The purpose of the event is to show children that law enforcement are the "good guys", since the only prior experience many of them have had with law enforcement involved their response to a domestic violence incident.
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Shenandoah Neighborhood Watch Appreciates Deputies
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Dear Sheriff Neustrom
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Dear Sheriff Neustrom:
I would like to start off by thanking the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Department for their assistance in the planning and implementation of our Neighborhood Watch program. As you may already be aware, our neighborhood is not within the city limits of any smaller municipality, and is simply part of rural Lafayette Parish. Our neighborhood had increasing problems with thefts and criminal damage to property, and simply used the Lafayette Parish Sheriff s Department as a means of reporting the incidents.
After much frustration, our neighborhood decided it was time to take action and put a stop to our neighborhood problems. Sergeant Tom Stith with the Community Services Unit has been more than helpful and cooperative in assisting with getting the Neighborhood Watch up and running, and keeping it maintained.
Sergeant Stith and Deputy Elisa Foster came to our first Neighborhood Watch meeting armed with flyers, pamphlets, and a well of information which they shared with us. They gave us instruction on personal safety, securing our homes, monitoring the neighborhood and keeping ourselves safe in doing so, and dealing with certain situations that may arise, as well as how to work with the Sheriffs Department in resolving our problems, including a pro-active approach at deterring crime.
Our neighborhood also had a block party several months after starting our program, at which Sergeant Stith, his lovely wife, and Deputy Darrell Doucet attended. Sergeant Stith and Deputy Doucet presented some of our Neighborhood Watch Block Captains with the signs we had ordered and that were delivered to the Sheriff s Department, and made sure to get to know
the neighbors, listen to their concerns, and generally let the neighborhood know that the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Department is backing us in our endeavor.
I also wanted to add that Sergeant Stith and his wife attended the block party on their own personal time and we are very thankful to them for their presence and for Sergeant Stith's respectable work ethic. He is an asset to the Sheriff's Department, Actually, Sergeant Tom Stith, Deputy Darrell Doucet, and Deputy Elisa Foster, are all assets to your Department.
I initially had some doubts about the Neighborhood Watch program and its effectiveness. However, after just a few weeks, our neighborhood was seeing a decrease in criminal and mischievous activity, and after just a few months, the neighborhood is relatively quiet.
When the Shenandoah Neighborhood Watch began, our neighborhood was having approximately 3 to 4 incidents (give or take a few) per week. Our neighborhood now has zero incidents per week with just an occasional problem reported. It appears that with a little pro¬active involvement, we are able to deter problems in our neighborhood.
Again, I thank the Lafayette Parish Sheriff s Department, Sergeant Tom Stith, Deputy Darrell Doucet, and Deputy Elisa Foster, as well as all of the patrolling deputies, in helping to continue to make our neighborhood a safe haven for our families!
With kind regards, I remain
Very truly yours,
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Marguerite Fitzgerald, Shenandoah Neighborhood Watch Coordinator
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Home : Community Relations : News & Recognition : Press Releases
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Press Releases
Inmates to Receive Forklift Certification
Friday, September 18, 2009
LAPCORR Industries under the Corrections Division at the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office incorporates training that inmate workers can use in the real world upon release. On September 23, a select group of work crew inmates will have the opportunity to increase their potential for job opportunities by receiving a forklift certification.
The training is made possible through a partnership between the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office and Advanced Safety and Training Management, Inc. Deputy Ricky Soulaire will lead the one-day, hands-on course to 20 incarcerated individuals. Each participant is currently employed on an outside work crew where a "real-world" work environment is emphasized.
LAPCORR Sgt. Cathy Blanchard states, "Our goal is to provide inmates with real skills that can be utilized in the workforce upon release. This training will give the inmates a valuable certification that will make them more employable as they transition back into society."
This class will be the largest forklift certification class offered to the inmates. LAPCORR Industries plans on offering additional forklift certification training in the future.
Sgt. Cathy Blanchard
LAPCORR Supervisor
Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Officer
337-236-5856
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