NEW ORLEANS -- More than 1500 deputies, corrections officers and support staffers work for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. So far this year, 24 have been fired for violations ranging from internal policy matters to major crimes.
Sheriff Newell Normand said busting his own is a double-edged sword.
"I'm proud of the work we do internally, but at the same time it is an embarrassment to the department as a whole," said Normand. "We have a lot of good, hardworking men and women in this department that have to suffer for the bad."
Four JPSO employees were arrested in just the past two weeks:
Thursday, deputies busted Corrections Officer Cecelia Mani on a theft charge. Sunday, Corrections Officer Joshua Williams was arrested in Terrebonne Parish and booked with unauthorized entry. On Nov. 10, Corrections Officer Donald Isom was arrested in New Orleans for marijuana possession. On Nov. 4, the JPSO booked Deputy Brett Casimir on aggravated rape and abuse of office charges.
Normand said despite the arrests, he maintains his hiring practices are sound.
"We make the best effort to screen through this," said Normand. "Is any process not infallible, no. I don't have the miraculous crystal ball to predict the proclivities of everybody who comes in."
The sheriff said each applicant goes through a battery of psychological, drug and polygraph tests along with background checks and multiple interviews. He said as a result, only 37 percent of the applicants make it to the recruit stage.
Metropolitan Crime Commission President Rafael Goyeneche agrees that Normand's hiring practices are as good or better than most departments in the area.
But, he said screening is only half the battle.
"What are they doing to make sure that an officer that may be a problem is identified at the earliest possible opportunity and I think that that's probably where additional effort and additional resources can be applied," said Goyeneche.
Goyeneche credits the JPSO for its zero tolerance policy when it comes officers who abuse their badge.
"The fact that the Sheriff's Office has arrested that string of officers is an indication of their commitment to insuring the integrity of their force," said Goyeneche.
Sheriff Normand said he won't compromise his hiring standards to offset a current manpower shortage. He maintains that the department is always looking for better ways to make sure those who protect and serve stay on the right side of the law.
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