Terrebonne Parish on track to safety thanks to Mitchell

Ralph Mitchell was once retired, but now he has a new job. After more than 20 years with the Louisiana State Police, where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Mitchell has decided to take on one of his most pressing challenges yet – continuing his career in public service as public safety director of Terrebonne Parish.

In a banquet room just off South Hollywood Road, a room full of spectators stood to applaud the former retiree as he prepared to touch on a variety of issues the parish is facing.

Mitchell flipped through a PowerPoint presentation at the Quality Inn in Houma last Tuesday, while coining the phrase, “This is a new day.”

For Terrebonne Parish, it’s more like a new era, as the area charges forward, hoping to shake off some of the debacles of the past.

Although Mitchell recently completed a stint in New Orleans, where he worked as a region major following Hurricane Katrina, he is homegrown, originally from Houma and a former member of Troop C.

“I enjoyed a great career with the State Police,” he recalled. “It will go down as one of my fondest memories.”

After many years of service, Mitchell decided to hang the suit up. But it didn’t last long.

The short vacation, however, has allowed him to view things in a new light. After retiring, Mitchell said he began to realize the small complaints and quarrels people have on a daily basis – whatever they may be – aren’t really that important. It’s what happens in the long run that counts.

As head of public safety, Mitchell will oversee a variety of operations from a procedural standpoint – the Houma Police Department, Fire Department, Office of Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security and the Terrebonne Juvenile Justice Center.

“I’m not going to sit back and micro-manage. That’s not my responsibility,” he said. Instead, Mitchell will focus on the policies and procedures each entity has, “…moving things forward to get to the place we need to be.”

It seems oversight could be the key, as irresponsible actions from past officials have marred the public sector and forced the time for change.

“I’m going to be a leader,” he noted.

“The past is history. We’re going to move forward and make sure [bad] things don’t happen again. It really is a new day for public safety in Terrebonne Parish,” touted Mitchell. “We’ve learned lessons.”

And from those unpleasant experiences, it’s a little clearer which direction the parish needs to go – or not go. “We’ve looked at what got us to this point and we’re going to move past it,” explained Mitchell.

As the wheels are beginning to turn, a gathering of top-notch facilities sits on the horizon. But reaching the destination could take some time.

One thing the former trooper would like to see is an accredited police department, which could come in handy when testifying during court cases. His timeline: two years.

“Being accredited will really help us in the long run,” he noted.

However, the recognition has to be earned from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), which was established to beef up policy and procedure practices in the law enforcement sphere. It can also help organizations make better-informed management decisions and strengthen accountability.

In the last three weeks, 830 pieces of old, non-usable evidence has been destroyed, which will help ease the accreditation process, Mitchell said.

With renovations under way in Downtown Houma, the police department is also focusing heavily on crime prevention.

“Crime is the one thing that can kill the boardwalk,” warned Mitchell.

To prevent it: HPD will use manpower, adding a walking unit to the area that will provide security and deter criminal activities during the day, allowing people to enjoy the fruits of several new projects – like the boardwalk – that should be complete by summer.

Houma’s fire department is also being revamped.

Among Mitchell’s top initiatives are increasing the amount of people that receive first responder training and upgrading facilities throughout the area.

A new ladder truck will be delivered in April, which “…will bring our department up to where it needs to be in this day and age,” he claimed.

But preparing for what’s to come could be the parish’s greatest hurdle.

The Office of Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security is pushing new operation procedures during hurricanes and severe storms, while vying for a new location in light of troublesome circumstances.

Any storm greater than category 2 currently forces employees to leave the post, said Mitchell. “Hopefully a [new location] will come to fruition.”

Even with things slightly watered down, the agency has been able to implement a reverse-911 system, which could make warning locals about hazardous weather easier. The new technology calls residents located in the area and plays a warning, or gives them directions on what steps to take in order to be safe.

Alongside the major players, Mitchell is aiming to update and expand the Terrebonne Juvenile Justice Center. With a computer lab and several classes, “…it’s not just a place for [juveniles] to go and sit,” he explained.

In order to pull it all together, the director needs people.

“Leaders have to stay on top of things. But it all boils down to people, and giving them a chance to do what they need to do,” said Mitchell. “You have to have people. They’re the biggest asset.”

And though the former officer might receive high praise for his accomplishments – past and present – he doesn’t see his new position as much more than an important job.

“I didn’t take this job for the popularity contest,” he noted.

Ralph Mitchell flips through piles of paperwork at his office in Government Towers in downtown Houma. After serving with the Louisiana State Police for more than 20 years, Mitchell is taking on the task of becoming public safety director of Terrebonne Parish. * Photo by MICHAEL DAVIS