On Friday’s edition of the Newell Normand Show, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto told Newell his biggest concern is the staffing at the parish jail. Sheriff Lopinto credited a recent pay raise from the parish in attracting more deputies to patrol the streets, but that hasn’t been the case for deputies to work the jail. Lopinto said overall staffing is below the level he would like. The sheriff told Newell that the current academy of recruits consists of 16 candidates. It’s in stark contrast to when Lopinto went through his training, which makes him even more cognizant about recruiting more candidates now.
“Knowing that I’m going to have people retiring in five or six years from now, I’m always looking five years ahead. Where will we be right? When I went through the academy 25 years ago, we graduated with 88 people. So, the classes of 88 are gone, but those classes of 88 are going to be retiring,” Lopinto said.
The JPSO’s manpower is critical to what many Jefferson Parish residents and leaders have always prided themselves on: low crime in JP. Lopinto told Newell that statistics from last year’s uniform crime reports (UCR), which the FBI references for crime data, show Jefferson Parish had its lowest level of crime in recent history. While neighboring Orleans Parish has seen double digit spikes in violent crime from 2021, Lopinto says the JPSO has played a vital role in placing Jefferson Parish on track for another year of lowered crime numbers.
“I’m a up a little bit this year. Down a little bit in burglaries, up a little bit in robberies but overall, it’s going to be our second lowest year in Jefferson Parish. And so, the numbers aren’t through the roof, but I base that off of having a great community,” the current sheriff of Jefferson Parish told his predecessor.
To make his point about community support, Lopinto explained how information from a witness aided in identifying a man who carjacked a woman after he robbed a bank in the 3600 block of Jefferson Highway earlier this week. To maintain that level of cooperation with the community, Lopinto emphasized the need for his deputies to maintain their ability to quickly respond to calls for service. He compared it to replacing light bulbs in a house. The sheriff says you may not know where the next light bulb will go out but having another light bulb at the ready is key.
“In Jefferson, we’re going to show up with a new light bulb and change your light bulb when you are a victim of crime. We’re going to be there. We’re going to work through the case and turn your bad day into a little bit of a better one, even it’s a traffic accident where it’s not necessarily a victim of a crime, you don’t want to be waiting four or five hours,” said Lopinto.
Listen to the whole conversation between the current and former sheriff of JP, including why Sheriff Lopinto is utilizing helicopters more than Newell did during his time as sheriff: