News

Sheriff Jayson Richardson and staff would like to welcome our newest Patrol Deputies to the DPSO Family. Deputy Jacob Daigle and Deputy Zachary Moore both completed their training at the Shreveport Regional Training Academy today, and will begin protecting and serving the citizens of DeSoto Parish on Monday, August 04th. Graduation was held on Friday, August 02, 2024. We are also pleased to announce that Dy. Daigle took home the Top Shot and Academic Award, while Dy. Moore took home the Overall Honor Graduate Award and Physical Fitness Award! Dy. Moore was also chosen to be the class President and spoke at the graduation ceremony. Pictured in order from left to right are: Asst. Warden Kevin Coleman, Patrol Captain Michael Dunn, Lt. Scott Atkins, Dy. Jacob Daigle, Major Chato Atkins, Dy. Zachary Moore, Lt. Joe West, Dy. John Welch, Dy. Matthew Brooks, and Dy. Chris Clanton.

DeSoto Sheriff Investigators are needing the publics assistance in helping to identify the suspect pictured below. This individual is believed to have been involved in a burglary that took place off of Mundy Road back in May of this year. We would appreciate any help the public may be able to provide that will bring this suspect to justice, thereby protecting your own property of being targeted next. You can call 318-872-3956 and ask to speak with an investigator regarding this post.

Crime Stoppers is willing to pay up to $1,000 for ANY info that leads to the identification or arrest of the suspect pictured below!

On August 6, officers and members of the DeSoto Parish Chamber of Commerce joined local friends and professionals for the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for Nadine Atkins’ new business, High Quality Education Services, LLC, located at 211 Washington Avenue, Suite D in Mansfield.

Ms. Atkins offers personalized tutoring in reading and math for grades K through 12 in addition to test prep and homework help. Your student can learn from the comfort of your home or in person with the help of a professional instructor. She is available to help during evening or weekend hours.

If you are a Louisiana resident your child may qualify for the Steve Carter Education Grant where you would pay nothing out of pocket for tutoring. For more information call 318-540-4825.

DeSoto citizens will be pleased to know that representatives from each agency across the parish gathered today for an hours long Emergency Preparedness workshop. Leaders from DeSoto Parish Sheriff, City of Mansfield Police Department, DeSoto EMS & Fire Districts, 911 Communications, FEMA, DeSoto Parish Schools, DeSoto Parish Police Jury and more were in attendance, and no one sat on the bench in this exercise either. Live exercises such as a mass scale tornado, explosion, building collapse, transport and pickup of students, triage staging locations and more were covered during the “DeSoto Emergency Drill Workshop” which will continue over the coming weeks. Each attendee was questioned on and had to act out how to properly organize, respond, garner additional resources, and communicate with the public and media in the event of a large scale emergency. We prepare for the worse case scenario, and hope/pray that it never happens.

DeSoto Parish Schools hosted the “Better Together” School Convocation Event,” on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at North DeSoto High School. This event marked the official kickoff to the new academic year for all district employees.

Supe r i n t enden t Clay Corley reiterates that our focus for this year is building trust and collaborative practices in service of our students: “Bringing back the Convocation was a couple of years in the making. We wanted to bring educators together but all of our team, support staff, and everyone and impress upon them their importance, their place on the team, and their ability to make a difference in the lives of our students.”

The event included inspiring sessions, valuable professional development opportunities, and a chance to reconnect with colleagues. The Convocation will underscore the district’s commitment to high performance, fostering a positive and caring culture, making a difference, and celebrating our small-town traditions.

Sheriff Jayson Richardson wants to make the public aware that overthepastthreeweeks there has been an abundance of reports of stray animals on the loose in various areas of DeSoto Parish. These incidents range from animals being randomly dumped out in or near residential areas, residents not properly containing their pets, animals damaging property, or animals becoming aggressive toward residents and/or their children. It is a situation that has become all to common in our area, and it is past time for it to be properly addressed. Sheriff Richardson is taking steps now, and there may be more to come, in eliminating this from being a public issue. This notice serves as a reminder to all of Louisiana State Code RS 14:102.1 which we will be strongly enforcing from this point forward.

This code includes, but is not limited to: - Anyone tormenting, beating, or injuring any animal whether it belongs to themselves or others.

The Logansport Touchdown Club presents the 2nd Annual Kickoff Auction Fundraiser benefiting Logansport football on August 10 from 5:30 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. at the RB4 Event Center, located at 791 Nash Road in Logansport.

Dinner will be provided at this live and silent auction. They are currently accepting donations for the auctions. For more information or to donate contact Monica Cason at 318-517-1137, Kevin Magee at 318773-4268 or Neal Martin at 337-802-0169.

A fundraiser will be held for DeSoto Fire District 8 Brian Walker, who is fighting the “fire” of his life. Recent diagnosis of kidney and intestinal cancer has our parish hero down, but never out.

Four changes to win on August 9 include a Diamondback DB15 300 Blackout (must pass a federal back ground check at R & P Outdoors), a $250 Bass Pro Gift Card, $100 Sew Unique Boutique Gift Card, and a Yeti Camino 35 Carryall Summer bundle.

Tickets are $25.00 each or five for $100.00. For more information call Hannah at 318-401-3661.

Sheriff Jayson Richardson and Patrol Capt. Michael Dunn are pleased to announce that all Patrol Vehicles will now be equipped with a LifeVac lifesaving kit. When emergency calls and someone has an obstructed airway, time is of the essence. It has been shown that the longer the brain goes without oxygen, the higher possibility there could be for permanent brain damage. That is why each Patrol Deputy will now be equipped with a LifeVac Kit in their unit to act as swiftly as possible in the event that they encounter a choking victim.

DeSoto 4-H National Shooting Sports competitors were honored tonight at the school board meeting. These young people recently traveled to Nebraska to compete for the State of Louisiana on the Air Rifle and Muzzloader team.

What an amazing accomplishment they have achieved! Congrats 4-H’ers! We are proud of you!