Bossier sheriff launches 'Operation Exodus'

[patrickhenry3]

Shreveport Times.com
By Drew Pierson
[email protected]
February 27, 2010

The Bossier Parish sheriff's office is launching a program called "Operation Exodus," a policing plan for an end-of-the-world scenario involving a mostly white group of ex-police volunteers and a .50-caliber machine gun, inspired in part from the Book of Exodus in the Bible.

"The buck stops with Larry Deen," said Bossier Parish Sheriff Larry Deen. "The liability stops with Larry Deen. I am the chief law enforcement officer in this parish, and it is incumbent upon me protect all of the people in it."

Deen said he had been formulating a plan to protect Bossier Parish's vital resources, like food and gasoline, in the event of a catastrophic event, such as war or a terrorist attack. Deen said he had been thinking of the plan since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Local residents may remember then-President George W. Bush's address to the nation was made out of Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City immediately after the attacks. At that time, Deen's men and about 100 other patrol cars barricaded entry to the base to protect the president from what turned out to be the nonexistent threat of an assault on the base.

Deen's office contacted more than 300 parish residents it thought would be useful during a similar emergency. Two hundred were chosen. Most of these people are ex-police officers and sheriff's office deputies that the sheriff's office was familiar with, Deen said.

Under the plan, these volunteers, supplemented with active public safety personnel, will be dispatched to vital areas in Bossier to protect them from looters or rioters. Deen listed as examples food inside grocery stores and gasoline in gasoline stations, not to mention protecting hospitals and other public meeting places.

These volunteers will be armed by the sheriff's office, using, among other things, shotguns, riot shields and batons. The members are mostly white men. Five are black. Women involved will only be used in "support roles," Deen said, which indicated non-combat activity. One of their first official training sessions was Feb. 20 when they learned basic hand-to-hand combat techniques.

Deen said he was not creating a militia.

"We run from that word," Deen said. "We're just the opposite that word."

Sheriff's office deputies stressed the program would not cost much. Because weapons, such as a .50-caliber machine gun mounted on something the sheriff's office calls "the war wagon," already have been purchased, the cost associated with the program would only be training and uniforms volunteers must wear, costing about $4,500 total.

Deen said in a press release last week that he named the program in part from the Book of Exodus in the Bible. However, on Wednesday, when asked whether he believed in a true "End of Days" scenario, he declined comment.

"I don't think we need that," Deen said. "These are totally different deals: there's Exodus in the Bible, but we're talking about Operation Exodus in Bossier Parish so I wouldn't even want to comment on that."

The sheriff's office is one of the three governmental entities that regulate Bossier Parish on the local level, the other two being Bossier City and the Bossier Parish Police Jury, which regulates mostly the rural areas of the parish.

The sheriff's office can levy taxes without permission from the other two bodies. Its budget has more than doubled in the past six years, from $15.6 million in 2004 to $35.5 million in 2009, despite an increase of only about 5,000 people in the parish during that time period, according to the U.S. Census. The sheriff's budget is on track to eclipse the Police Jury's operating budget ($45 million in 2010) and, eventually, Bossier City's ($45 million in 2010).

Deen stressed this program was not meant to replace existing emergency preparation plans, such as those of the local Homeland Security Office.

When asked whether the program would be a useful tool in the event of a disaster, Sandy Davis, director of the Caddo-Bossier Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, said "I think every public safety agency should be prepared for disaster response."

Deen said he had contacted other parish officials to inform them of the plan and coordinate their efforts, and the other officials "were all for it."

However, few parish officials wanted to give The Times comment about the program. They included Bossier City Mayor Lorenz "Lo" Walker and Bossier Parish Administrator Bill Altimus.

For now, Operation Exodus volunteers selected will meet quarterly to hold refresher training, Deen said.

"It's my job," Deen said. "It's a calling."

Link to article:
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/artic...14/1060/NEWS01

[WILL]

Awsome. Now there's a Sheriff who thinks outside the box. Good for him.

[hank2222]

i wounder how many small county sheriffs are starting to see the light at the tunnel and wondering i need to start to do something about it ..

[MikeK]

I wish more of them took their job that seriously. I especially like the part about protecting businesses from the looters. I guess the freeloading sheeple will have to pay up or do without.

[Dwind]

Well ill say this, more than a few big city cops feel the same way.

I do think this could strain race relations, but then again the Sharpton Jackson's will do anything to cry racism. Having witnessed roving bands of looters myself - none of which were white or latin, it vwill come Down to who belongs in the neighborhood. Were I posted to a predominantly black neighborhood during a crisis and saw a few young white guys milling about, I'd contact them.

[woodyp]

I'm on board with the concept right up to the part about a 50 caliber machine gun mounted on a "war wagon", both of which they seem to already have. Wonder if the taxpayers know if that was authorized. Those kinds of weapons belong in the hands of the Guard at minimum I think.

[oscar615]

I am unsure. Will have to think about it and look into it some more.

On the one hand I like the idea. I like the idea of a sheriff realising that he is the top authority in the parish and that he needs to be thinking of his people.

On the other hand, having lived most of my life in and knowing the corruption in LA, combined with the fact that he has hand picked his "good ole boys", I have to wonder if he is not setting himself up to be the "parish king". He already has the power to levy taxes? WOW!

You know the old saying. Power corrupts, unlimited power....

[pudding7]

You guys don't have a problem with this part? "The sheriff's office can levy taxes without permission from the other two bodies. Its budget has more than doubled in the past six years, from $15.6 million in 2004 to $35.5 million in 2009, despite an increase of only about 5,000 people in the parish during that time period"

[patrickhenry3]

Originally Posted by pudding7

You guys don't have a problem with this part? "The sheriff's office can levy taxes without permission from the other two bodies. Its budget has more than doubled in the past six years, from $15.6 million in 2004 to $35.5 million in 2009, despite an increase of only about 5,000 people in the parish during that time period"

I have a problem with this part. Over-all, I'm glad to see that there are those that understand that they will have to do what is necessary.

[patrickhenry3]

Originally Posted by woodyp

I'm on board with the concept right up to the part about a 50 caliber machine gun mounted on a "war wagon", both of which they seem to already have. Wonder if the taxpayers know if that was authorized. Those kinds of weapons belong in the hands of the Guard at minimum I think.

Anyone can have their own war wagon. Ultimately, we are all responsible for our own safety.

[HighPlainsDrifter]

Good idea, locals trusted by local LEO's to help protect the local resources. Too bad the article and the author seem to be aiming for the slant of racism as usual. It seems you need to have a "proper ratio" as defined by the media or federal gov't these days, you can't just be a group of people trying to do what makes sense. The whole white/black/woman thing is just filler to polarize opinion before fully thinking things out.

But, the whole tax deal is strange, and there is plenty of room for them to abuse the resources once they have control.

I would think there would need to be some better definition as far as the intended outcomes with the resources being protected once the initial emergency is over. Does control fall back to the original owners of the businesses or to the sheriff and his cronies? Or does a local committee of sorts get control and the authority to dole them out to the locals? In every case it seems you will still be better off being fully prepared because the resources will ultimately be controlled by looters or by some local authority that may or may not use them to help the very people they are beholden to.

[Howey01]

That is what every county in the country should do sense the obongo crew really don't care about us at all

[bgirshsct]

Originally Posted by woodyp

I'm on board with the concept right up to the part about a 50 caliber machine gun mounted on a "war wagon", both of which they seem to already have. Wonder if the taxpayers know if that was authorized. Those kinds of weapons belong in the hands of the Guard at minimum I think.

wepons of any sort belong in the hands of ANY law abiding citizen the kind of thinking that is displayed in this post leaves us all in jepordy it is a chink in the armour of our rights that allows the groups who want to disarm us a way in.The "you don't need that type of wepon after all it is not any good for hunting" you know the kind of folks I am talking about or the "only the military needs that kind of thing "is how it starts and the next thing you know we are in chains because we stood not at the door to beat back the wolf at our neighbors door. all firearms owners need to support all firearms owners in their endevors to roll back and repeal all firearms laws that are on the books.it says "Shall NOT be Infringed". The thing we should take note of is that the Sheriff can raise the taxes there without a vote of the people .If you lived there is this something that would thrill you?not me my friends not me.

[Rhino78]

He's being proactive as apposed to being reactive. This will save lives!!!

[stigz]

I think in theory this is a pretty good idea. Somehow I feel this is motivated more by church and race. This man, although proactive, picked a bunch of god fearing ex police officers. I have no right to argue with this but it seems fishy.

It would be a shame to see a well intentioned plan turn into "screw the public and save ourselves" situation.

[TimeTraveler]

"Deen's office contacted more than 300 parish residents it thought would be useful during a similar emergency. Two hundred were chosen. Most of these people are ex-police officers and sheriff's office deputies that the sheriff's office was familiar with, Deen said."


This is troubling. It sounds more like a fiefdom excluding people that the Sheriff did not choose. In a Democracy, We The People choose our own leaders. TT

[patrickhenry3]

I've read the responses both for and against particular aspects of what this Sheriff is doing. My reason for posting this article is that we, too, must ready ourselves.

I will not look to any in law enforcement to protect me and mine in a crisis. Never have, never will. Nor will i trust my freedoms and safety to any but me. I have several LEO friends. All have told me that they have no duty to protect me and my family directly. I have asked them. This is why they are called law enforcement. They arrive after a law has been broken.

While this Sheriff, and other Fed and local LEO's, including DHS, are readying themselves for what may come, so are myself and those I know.

[woodyp]

Originally Posted by TimeTraveler

"Deen's office contacted more than 300 parish residents it thought would be useful during a similar emergency. Two hundred were chosen. Most of these people are ex-police officers and sheriff's office deputies that the sheriff's office was familiar with, Deen said."


This is troubling. It sounds more like a fifedom excluding people that the Sheriff did not choose. In a Democracy, We The People choose our own leaders. TT

........."fiefdom" is exactly the word I had in mind before I got to your post.

[Big Pow Pow]

Well the 50 cal MG would be handy in that area. As one who has done LEO Training in this area of the state, a large portion of it is Barksdale AFB. Which is also a SAC base, with lots of B-52's, B1 Bombers and stealth aircraft. Presidents have landed there many times in the past. I'm sure in some cases a big 50 would be a mighty comforting item. You never know just what type of scenario they may face. I'd rather have it and not need it in that area.

This is another reason why we all need to be in touch, communication, involved and have relations with local law enforcement. Especially if you live in rural or small town areas. Large City Police like New York or L.A. you'd be wasting your time. They don't want locals to help. They just ride herd on the citizenry anyhow. But your local Sheriff and local Police Chief can be an asset to your area, IF he has his head on straight, like this guy seems to.

[ssbn642blue]

Originally Posted by woodyp

I'm on board with the concept right up to the part about a 50 caliber machine gun mounted on a "war wagon", both of which they seem to already have. Wonder if the taxpayers know if that was authorized. Those kinds of weapons belong in the hands of the Guard at minimum I think.

Why not us, , the 2nd was approved, right. Oh yeah, I forget,WE HAVE TO BUY A LICENSE TO EXERCISE THE 2ND...... At least to own one .