In January of 2023, Sheriff Jayson Richardson unveiled a new project in DeSoto Parish called “Friends of the Sheriff” that would help to better serve those in our community living with Special Needs. We are now excited to announce that Sheriff Richardson has been working with State Representative Larry Bagley and Senator Barry Milligan to secure funding our program State-Wide! With their partnership, Sheriff Richardson has managed to secure nearly $300,000 to go toward this program and other public safety projects. Our office is ready and willing to work with other agencies to provide the necessary components, including graphics and decals, to ensure the project is a success across the State of Louisiana. This is just another achievement towards serving our Special Needs community with compassion, yielded from Sheriff Richardson’s Bringing Joye Program launched in 2018!
For those not familiar with how the “Friends of the Sheriff” program works, it is pretty simple. In the event of a fire, traffic stop, accident, or otherwise, deputies sometimes encounter someone sensitive to loud noises, bright lights, deaf, or non-verbal, and that person may require special attention. If you or someone in your household is living with Special Needs, you can drop by the Sheriff’s Office to fill out a short form and receive decals for your vehicles. The decals serve as a visual for first responders before approaching a vehicle, to help them better serve those living with Special Needs. The information you provide is logged into our dispatch software, therefore whenever there is an emergency first responders can be aware and prepared before arrival. We are super excited to have this program created here at the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office, now launching Statewide! Sheriff Richardson sends his sincerest gratitude to Senator Barry Milligan and Rep. Larry Bagley for championing this project through the State Legislature. We also send a huge thanks to our residents of DeSoto Parish for participating in this project, sharing the posts, and showing support for this wonderful program.
