The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office has just begun equipping its enforcement deputies with body cameras thanks to a contract with Axon Enterprise to outfit all patrol, traffic and civil deputies, according to Sheriff Randy Smith.
As one of his first actions for the new fiscal year, Smith said he signed the contract in an effort to improve transparency.
The $1.6 million, five-year contract includes not only the cameras but also the necessary training and, more importantly, the storage and records management for the cameras and footage. Axon will provide the training.
Smith said purchasing body cameras has been one of his priorities since taking office in 2016, and when he exhausted all opportunities for grant funding to purchase the cameras, he made the cuts necessary to find the money in the agency’s general fund to buy them.
“This tool will help increase and promote transparency and accountability within the ranks and within the community we serve. Body cameras put everyone, deputies and citizens alike, on their best behavior,” the sheriff said.
Law enforcement making some 'Night Out' changes
Oct. 1 is the deadline for a requesting that a St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's deputy attend individual National Night Out activities will be held locally on Oct. 6. Registration is available on the sheriff's website, www.stpso.com, under "Community Programs."
National Night Out is a nationwide crime prevention event designed to heighten crime prevention awareness, increase neighborhood support in anti-crime efforts and unite communities. It is a chance to learn about crime prevention while celebrating individual communities and spending time with neighbors and local law enforcement.
Representatives from various divisions of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office will participate , but because of COVID-19 concerns, neighborhoods are asked to host several smaller parties as opposed to having one large party to keep the numbers low at each. Attendees are also asked to wear masks and practice social distancing measures when possible.
The Mandeville Police Department also is participating in National Night Out events on Oct. 6, and any neighborhood group that wants an officer to attend is asked to contact Officer Eddie Vanison at (985) 626-9711 as soon as possible. Citizens in other municipalities interested in having a law enforcement officer attend a Night Out event should contact their local police department.
Because of COVID-19 concerns, the Mandeville Police Department opted this year not to host its usual event at the Trailhead for fear of drawing a large crowd.
Chamber of Commerce plans to retain board for extra term
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce operations, the interruptions of business support events and chamber finances, the group's board is recommending that all that all existing directors remain in place to serve one additional year to their current term.
Each is a director in good standing and has committed to accept all responsibilities of directorship for one additional year, Chamber officials said.
The year 2020 was to be the first of three transition years for the parishwide chamber, but the interruptions caused by COVID-19 and resulting economic plunge led to decisions to preserve and maintain the integrity of the organization during the ongoing recovery.
The governance and policy-making responsibilities of the chamber are vested in its board, which controls the group's property and directs its finances and affairs. And a review of bylaws allows members in good standing to service an addition year under certain circumstances.
Also, additional advisory board members will be appointed by the board chairman for one-year terms in order to enhance communications with other business groups and nonprofits.
The bylaws also allow the nomination of additional candidates by a petition of at least 50 chambers members but that it be filed with the Nominating Committee by noon on Oct. 2. If no additional candidates are presented by qualified petition, the current directors will be declared elected for one additional year of their originally elected term.
The 2018-20 directors are: David Boudreaux, division manager, Hancock Whitney Bank; Paul LeBlanc, managing partner, Arbor Lending Group LLC; Lisl Blitch Moyer, executive director, New Heights Therapeutic Riding Center; and Ryan Myers, CEO, F.H. Myers Construction.
The 2019-21 directors are: Tony Adams, group manager, Iberia Bank; Erin Cowser, assistant commissioner for legislative affairs, Board of Regents; Kyle Kent, president, Kent Design Build Inc.; David Landry, partner, Carver Darden LLC; Kathryn LeBlanc, president/CEO, Cedarwood School; Jennifer Messina, vice president of development, Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West; Chairman Tom Meyer, vice president, Benefit Planning Group & Wealth Management; and past chairman Townsend Underhill, president of development, Stirling Properties LLC.
The 2020-22 directors are: Sarada Bonnett, event director, Covington Three Rivers Art Festival; Carrie Calvin, CPA, director of accounting/auditing, Bourgeois Bennett; Alan Case, vice president, Lowry-Dunham, Case & Vivien Insurance; Joan Coffman, CEO, St. Tammany Health System; John Herman, CEO, Northshore Region, Ochsner Health System; David Hursey, principal governmental services representative, Cleco; Kendra Maness, publisher, Slidell Magazine; Louis Ochoa, owner, The Sadie Jane; Colin Shea, benefits consultant, Gilsbar; and Sandy Badinger, CEO, Slidell Memorial Hospital.
Hewitt lauded for support of St. Tammany Corp. goals
State Sen. Sharon Hewitt was lauded as a St. Tammany Champion of Economic Development by the St. Tammany Corp. for her efforts during the 2020 First Extraordinary Legislative Session and the 2020 regular session.
Chris Masingill, the corporation's CEO, said Hewitt continues to provide ongoing support of resources and tools for business retention, expansion, and attraction at the state level, and champions sustainable economic development in the parish as a partner of the St. Tammany Corp.
The award also acknowledged Hewitt's efforts to secure additional funding to local entities and to provide St. Tammany Corp. with critical resources to continue economic development activities while the local economy experiences the ongoing effects and impacts of the pandemic.
“We started our St. Tammany Champions of Economic Development campaign in May 2019 to highlight the importance of economic development in St. Tammany and to honor public servants, business and community leaders who support job growth, wealth creation and the efforts of St. Tammany Corporation," Masingill said. "Sen. Hewitt is very deserving of this honor.”
Marty Mayer, the St. Tammany Parish Development District board president, said Hewitt, “fosters collaboration among stakeholders and partners to build coalitions as a tireless leader in workforce development, talent retention and STEM education.”
Road work planned
- The town of Abita Springs, in conjunction with the state Department of Transportation and Development, will install two new stop signs at the intersection of Main Street and La. 435 on Oct. 5, making the crossing a three-way stop. Signage will be installed at the approach to each sign to warn drivers to stop ahead.
- To allow for asphalt paving on Interstate 10, a partial road closure will affect all eastbound and westbound lanes is expected to begin Sept. 27 and end Oct. 10. The closure will have alternating travel through the area nightly from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., weather permitting, from the Twin Span Mile Post 260.05 through the I-10/I-12/I-59 interchange Mile Post 267.4.
GOP endorsements made
The St. Tammany GOP at the endorsement meeting held Sept. 17 at the St. Tammany Parish Chamber endorsed candidates for the Nov. 3 election.
They included: president, Donald J. Trump; U.S. senator, Bill Cassidy; U.S. representative 1st Congressional District, Steve Scalise; public service commissioner, Eric Skrmetta; district judge 22nd JDC Division 3, Ellen M. Creel; district attorney 22nd JDC, Warren Montgomery; justice of the peace Ward 1 (two to be elected), Peter J. Lalanne Jr. and Amy Murphee; justice of the peace Ward 2 (two to be elected), Susan Tingstrom Leonard and Anne Thompson; justice of the peace Ward 5, Joe Tosterud; and justice of the peace Ward 8, Michael Tassin.
Also, constable justice of the peace Ward 2, Marcus King; constable justice of the peace Ward 4 (two to be elected), Jane Eshleman and Jonathan Witman; constable justice of the peace Ward 6, Lee Williams III; constable justice of the peace Ward 7, Greg Chabreck; and constable justice of the Peace Ward 10, Matthew "Matt" King.
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Sheriff's Office signs five-year, $1.6 million contract to equip deputies with body cameras - NOLA.com
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