Caddo Parish Sheriff Henry Whitehorn penned a letter to the community on Thursday highlighting his accomplishments to date and outlining plans for the parish's future.

Marking Whitehorn's 100th day in office, his letter reflects on the accomplishments in establishing trust within the community, emphasizing his initial and ongoing emphasis on transparent, fair and accountable law enforcement practices.

"These early days have been a crucial period for establishing new partnerships, reinforcing our commitment to community engagement and beginning key initiatives that will help us serve you better in the years ahead," Whitehorn said.

"Together, we are laying the foundation for a safer, strong future for all. We thank the community for your unwavering support and partnership over the past 100 days. Your engagement has been instrumental in our efforts to enhance public safety and improve the quality of life in Caddo Parish."

According to the letter, in the past 100 days, the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office's commitment to public safety has driven a series of initiatives aimed at reducing crime and fostering community trust. The letter outlines key efforts to ensure a safer environment for all residents.

Public Safety Initiatives Collaboration and Partnerships: The Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office is actively engaging with all police chiefs and constables in the parish to enhance support for their crime-fighting initiatives. In partnership with our federal law enforcement partners, we are developing strategies aimed at reducing violent crime in local neighborhoods.

Additionally, the office is formulating a proposal to assist the Shreveport Police Department with increased patrols within the city limits. They have prioritized community engagement by meeting with numerous local organizations to strengthen partnerships and address community needs.

School Resource Officer Program: The sheriff's office has hired additional trained deputies as School Resources Officers, successfully fulfilling their goal of placing an SRO in every high school at the start of the school year.

Community Relations/Crime Prevention Unit: The newly established unit is creating youth program is designed to engage the community in crime prevention strategies, in partnership with non-governmental organizations.

Active Shooter Training Exercise: The Caddo Sheriff's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, along with the Shreveport City Marshal's Office, hosted a training event at the Caddo-Bossier Port Commission. It was designed to test and enhance the cooperation and readiness of first responders in Caddo, Bossier, DeSoto and Red River parishes.

Participants practiced operating under the Active Shooter Incident Management to provide a coordinated response when multiples agencies are involved in an emergency.

Firearm Instructor School: In July, the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office hosted its first Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers Firearm Instructor School. The two-week program was at the Regional Training Academy and attended by law enforcement agencies throughout the state. Sgt. Michael McConnell and Deputy Cory Bourn attended the school and fulfilled the requirements established by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers to become FLETC firearms instructors.

Enforcement Detail: On Sept. 27, the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office partnered with Louisiana State Police, the Shreveport Police Department and Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office for a saturated enforcement detail. The operation resulted in 78 traffic stops and 55 citations.

Drone Unit: The team responded to 40 callouts for searches related to wanted suspects, missing children and elderly individuals, special operations and other activities. Additionally, the Drone Team provided support to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, FBI, ATF and DEA. These callouts led to 10 arrests in a total of 39 flight hours. The Drone Team members have accumulated more than 60 hours of training flights.

Livestock Division: 165 calls for service that resulted in the recovery of loose livestock.

Community Outreach & Youth Activities
Misdemeanor Warrant Resolution Event: The inaugural event assisted 150 people in resolving their warrants by helping them make payments or establish a payment plan. CPSO partnered with Caddo District Attorney James Stewart, Judge Donald Hathaway Jr. and Clerk of Court Mike Spence to allow individuals with outstanding misdemeanor warrants to settle their cases.

National Night Out: CPSO participated in National Night Out and accepted applications for block parties in the unincorporated areas of Caddo Parish. On Oct. 1, deputies joined residents at dozens of neighborhood gatherings and crime prevention events to encourage the public to take a stand against crime.

Range Opens for Sighting Rifles: The Regional Training Academy opened to the public Oct. 8 for rifle sighting in preparation for the upcoming hunting season. Targets are provided and deputies are available to assist participants.

Hunter Safety Education: The Regional Training Academy hosted a safety education course for hunters. The two days gave hunters the opportunity to obtain their state certifications.

Youth Firearm Safety Education Camp: Campers were paired with certified deputies for activities on the firing range, focusing on firearms handling and instruction. Children learned about gun safety and competed in target shooting. The program included a special demonstration by the K9 Unit, Special Response Team and Shreveport Fire Development Bomb Squad.

Inmate Rehabilitation & Skills Development
The Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office has prioritized providing inmates with meaningful opportunities for rehabilitation and personal growth. Several key programs have been successfully completed by inmates, aimed at enhancing their skills, reducing recidivism, and promoting successful reintegration into society upon release.

Substance Abuse Programs: 270 inmates have completed substance abuse programs aimed at addressing critical behavioral health needs with a focus on breaking the cycle of addiction.

Vocational Training: Inmates have enrolled in a variety of vocational courses, including carpentry, fiber optics, and forklift operation, with 36 participants actively developing valuable job skills that will facilitate their successful reintegration into the workforce.

The carpentry program is certified by the National Center for Construction Education and Research, where students gain expertise in constructing and renovating residential and commercial buildings following industry standards.

The fiber optics course equips inmates with the essential skills to install and repair fiber optic cables, vital for high-speed data transmission and communication infrastructure. Additionally, in October, the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office started a partnership with Bossier Parish Community College to offer a forklift operation programs for inmates.

Heartsaver (AED) Program: Starting in July, Bossier Parish Community College began offering a curriculum developed by the American Heart Association. 67 inmates now have the ability to perform CPR and use an automated external defibrillator.

Trust Based Relational Intervention: TBRI is led by Volunteers for Youth Justice and 80 students recently graduated from the program. It is designed to educate parents on mindful caregiving with a focus on how childhood trauma impacts the brain and influences behavior.

Reentry Program: The Caddo Correctional Center gives resources and support for people to successfully return to their communities after incarceration with a goal of reducing recidivism. 77 graduates have been equipped with resources for housing, health care, substance abuse treatment, and counseling services.

New Programs/Initiatives Transitional Work Release Program: The Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections has approved a transitional work release program, and CPSO will partner with several companies to launch the initiative in November 2024 with qualified participants.

Explorer Program: Scheduled to launch in January 2025, the youth-focused curriculum will provide students with a platform to explore their career interests and develop skills in law enforcements. This program is part of a broader career education effort for Caddo citizens aged 13 to 18.

Organizational Effectiveness: CPSO is in the process of restructuring the Sheriff's Office to increase efficiency. CPSO will be incorporating technology and innovative practices to enhance our ability to serve and protect our community.

Recruitment Effort: CPSO is filling vacancies in corrections, patrol, investigations, communications and administration. The department is developing an aggressive recruitment plan to maintain a pool of qualified applicants.

Fiscal Responsibility: CPSO is correcting the findings from an external audit and are conducting a critical self-review of the agency's policies, procedures, facilities and operations. CPSO wants to ensure that our policies meet an established set of professional standards recognized as best practices by the Commission on Accredited for Law Enforcement Agencies.

Strategic/Transparent Communication: CPSO launched a new website in October, which will continually improve as we implement a crime mapping feature that allows you to view any reported crimes in your area or any location within Caddo Parish. The dashboard will provide insight into parish crime trends and enable us to make data-driven decisions to effectively deploy deputies to high-crime areas.

On Oct. 17, CPSO will introduce a new app that will provide the public with push notifications, which will alert you instantly to important updates from the CPSO. Another addition is a real-time link providing live calls for service across Caddo Parish, including all major cities.

Whitehorn stated that the CPSO's office mission is to work to serve the citizens of Caddo Parish with respect, trust, professional law enforcement services, and financial stewardship.

"I am honored to lead a strong department with dedicated personnel who work tirelessly every day to ensure our mission is fulfilled," Whitehorn said.

"As we move forward, we will remain committed to upholding the highest ethical standards while relentlessly pursuing justice in a fair and equitable manner."