Henry Whitehorn has a website for his sheriff's race. Here are some recent posting: (verbatim quotes):
1. If you didn't like the policies of the former Sheriff, then it’s time to vote for the change you want to see.
2.. Choosing the opposition could mean missing a crucial opportunity for positive change in our community.
3. African Americans and Latinx constantly face voter suppression techniques
4. If your vote wasn’t as important, then they wouldn't be trying so hard to prevent you from voting.
5. We must ensure that our law enforcement agencies are answerable to the people they serve.
6. Henry Whitehorn represents fairness and a path towards a safer parish.
Seemingly Whitehorn is basing much of his campaign against smearing Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator.
Maybe not coincidentally, Prator has endorsed Whitehorn's opponent John Nickelson.
WHITEHORN MISLEADS PUBLIC ON CADDO SHERIFF’S OFFICE
This week a video surfaced of Henry Whitehorn on the campaign trail, speaking to a group. Whitehorn told the group that despite the fact their tax dollars were collected by the Caddo Sheriff’s Office, there were no services or assistance of a law enforcement nature, provided to the City of Shreveport by the Sheriff’s Office. He added that if SPD asked for assistance, the Sheriff’s Office would not respond. Whitehorn used the recent Mardi Gras parades as an example saying, “you didn’t see one deputy.”
Obviously, Henry Whitehorn did not attend the Mardi Gras parades. CPSO had 35 deputies at the Centaur and the Gemini parades. CPSO provided security for the first 2 miles of the parade route. 15 deputies were assigned to work the Crew of Highland parade.
Less than a week before Henry Whitehorn made those statements, four Caddo Deputies attempted to arrest a suspect wanted for 1st Degree Murder. A Caddo deputy was shot by the suspect. This incident occurred in the City of Shreveport.
Maybe we’ve become indifferent to campaigning politicians spreading misinformation, but here are other ways Henry Whitehorn’s statements are not only false but offensive to the deputies he wants to lead. Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Deputies conduct law enforcement duties in the City of Shreveport by:
-Providing School Resource Officers (SRO’s) at Green Oaks, C.E. Byrd, Southwood, and Woodlawn high schools
-Working with SPD and providing security at the Independence Bowl
-Provides security for the Caddo Parish Courthouse as well as the courtrooms
-Provides security at Government Plaza
-Provides security at the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals
-Service of Civil paper
-Care a custody of over 800 felon pretrial detainees that were arrested in the City of Shreveport
-Transportation of those detainees to and from court and medical treatment
-Security at the Independence Bowl
-2 Deputies assigned to Financial Crimes Task Force to which 90% of victims are in the City of Shreveport
-Joint operations with LSP
-Narcotics enforcement
-Deputies assigned to the FBI Violent Crimes, ATF, and DEA Task Forces, mostly working in the City of Shreveport
-DWI checkpoints
-Warrant roundups
-Responding to flooding, storm damage, icy conditions, and major events
In addition to these services provided to the City of Shreveport by the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, it should be noted that the City of Shreveport is not the only municipal city within the 938 square miles of Caddo Parish. CPSO also provides enforcement assistance to Vivian, Oil City, Blanchard, and Greenwood Louisiana. Whitehorn seems focused on a Shreveport voter base. There are concerns that these areas will feel the impact of moving already stretched thin resources away from the more rural areas of the parish should he be successful in his bid for Sheriff.
One final point. In his speech, Whitehorn says he regrets that SPD Chief Wayne Smith was not there to back him up on his statements. If a reader gets a chance to ask Chief Smith in person, please do so to verify the misinformation. However, being the former police chief, Whitehorn should realize, or maybe he does, that as a civil servant, Chief Smith cannot be involved in political events or campaigning. Using the absent Chief Smith as fodder, all the while misleading your audience, is an unfortunate reality of the Whitehorn campaign.