Larpenter returns to sheriff post

Coming back to a post he held for 22 years, Sheriff-elect Jerry Larpenter said that the swearing-in for him and his full-time deputies late this week will be low key, but changes in store for Terrebonne Parish law enforcement, beginning Sunday, will be bold.

“I’m not making a big deal about the swearing-in,” Larpenter said, “but I am going to have everything in line so we can start work without any distractions.”

Larpenter retired from being sheriff in 2007 to run against, and lose to, Michel Claudet for parish president. Since then, he has watched changes he disagrees with in the sheriff’s office while it has been under the leadership of his hand-picked replacement and outgoing-Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois.

Larpenter said he has spoken with Claudet, and that there are no hard feelings from the past. Separately, the two men agreed they will work together for the benefit of Terrebonne Parish.

“We ran against each other, but have always gotten along,” Claudet said. “We look forward to working with Jerry. He has done a great job in the past and we know he will in the future.”

Larpenter said his focus from here-on will be with the office that defines his career. He added that he has no interest in again seeking the position of parish president or any other political role.

“I offered myself to the parish for parish president and lost fair and square,” he said. “There are concerns I have to make the parish more protected and projects that I’d like to bring in, but it is not about politics. I don’t hold anything against Michel Claudet.”

Larpenter said he holds high expectations for himself and all people working in law enforcement. “I am going to restructure the sheriff’s office, starting with the finances.”

Larpenter claimed that when he left office he had a budget surplus of approximately $9 million. It was an emergency fund that he said was intended to help cover insurance increases or unexpected expenses. “The economy changes on a daily basis, and you need to have money to protect yourself against claims,” he said.

The outgoing-sheriff countered Larpenter’s comment by stating he had actually increased the financial reserve. “We are $12 million in the black, contrary to what he has been telling everybody,” Bourgeois said.

Other than addressing the disagreement on finances, the current sheriff said he had no words to offer regarding the man who will be both his predecessor and successor. “I’m not making a single comment about him,” the outgoing sheriff said.

Larpenter called Bourgeois’ financial claim a “ghost balance” that does not reflect cash on hand. He added that details of spending in the sheriff’s office during the past four years will be revealed with a complete audit once he officially puts on his badge.

Larpenter confirmed that he has already cut 24 deputy and staff positions across the board, but blames Bourgeois for putting individuals involved and him in that position.

“This is nothing different than with any other entity,” Larpenter said. “This layoff is because Vernon Bourgeois did not take care of finances. There are several people in that office doing nothing. There are majors collecting $75,000 a year doing nothing. Let me tell you, we are not the first ones to lay off people because of finances.

“It is part of the economics and being accountable,” he continued. “We are currently in a financial situation that when I take over there is a possibility that I may have to borrow money to make payroll for July and August, according to the current sheriff’s consultant.”

Larpenter said evidence of wasteful spending by Bourgeois includes the purchase of unnecessary equipment, hiring of unproductive personnel, acquiring unnecessary taxpayer-purchased cars and boats, and expenses related to a controversial television program spearheaded by Bourgeois called “Cajun Justice.” The new sheriff added that he will not renew any contract with the program’s producers once he takes office.

Bourgeois, by contrast, said he believes the television program has been good for tourism and would generate income for the sheriff’s office.

Larpenter contends his ways are better for the image and finances of both the office and region.

“I’m also looking at parking about 40 automobiles and pulling window tint off patrol calls so the public can see deputies,” Larpenter said. He voiced concern regarding public relations between the sheriff’s office and general public, and claims he has seen films of deputies using inappropriate language and behavior toward their contacts.

“There is going to be a lot of re-training of attitudes,” the new sheriff said. “I’ve got a lot of feedback from the public, so [interaction] is going to be changed. I don’t care if the person is a complainant or a suspect, you treat everybody with dignity.”

Larpenter says he can do more with fewer people and dollars spent than what has been done during the past four years. “When I left we had 274 full-time employees and everything was new. [Bourgeois] is up to more than 400 employees and has wasted money,” he said. “Every year since I left, the budget went up and this year it is $28.4 million.”

Larpenter repeatedly said the office belongs to the people. “It is not about one individual or a few individuals,” he said. “There has been a lot of wasteful spending going on, and that is going to stop. We are not going to have people from other departments driving sheriff’s office vehicles and we are not going to have 56 credit cards out there with individuals spending at will. People are going to be accountable for everything.”

Bourgeois defended his track record against Larpenter’s claims. “I think my term went great,” he said. “I advanced the department with electronics and report writing and stayed within budget doing it. I wish the economy would have been better, but that is something out of my control.“

“There are a lot of things that need to happen with the sheriff’s office,” Larpenter said. “We are not going to be short. This sheriff’s office is moving forward. We are going to have fewer people sitting in the office and more people on patrol.

“We are going to have people willing to work. We are going to streamline to get back our finances over the next couple of years, but we are going to be working for the people of this parish,” he added.

Bourgeois said he has no plans at this time for when he leaves office.

Jerry Larpenter

FILE PHOTO