Judge Dewey E. Burchett, Jr.

I was very saddened to learn that Judge Dewey E. Burchett, Jr. passed away earlier today. Judge Burchett had been ill for some time and undergoing treatment.
He received a degree in government from LSU, went to the Air Force as a fighter pilot and trainer from 1962 thru 1967. He returned to LSU for his law degree.
Judge Burchett served the people of Bossier & Webster honorably and well as a district judge for 20 years.
He was loved and honored by his wife Pat, sons Dewey III & Edward, and a granddaughter.
May God give them comfort at this time.

Here's a first: a blog post for a commenter

I’m going to do something I’ve never done before. I’m going to address a commenter’s remarks in a blog post.

Here is the comment:

• Funny Jim - I have not seen you focus on anything positive in Bossier since the blog started - you have determined the entire leadership of the school board, the city of bossier city, and the district attorney's office need to go - what is left - the library system. I dont see how you wake up in this community each day without being in a horrible state of depression. It must really suck to see the world from such a half empty perspective. We have good leaders in this community that try to do the right thing - but crap happens and people with very little information attack peoples character with no basis - it is a wonder that anyone would do those jobs - you know its kind of like anytime one cop does something wrong - the entire department is suddenly a bunch of crooks, civil rights violators or thugs - i am sure you can relate to that

Let’s break it down.

• “you have determined the entire leadership of the school board, the city of bossier city, and the district attorney's office need to go - what is left - the library system.”

There was obviously a lack of supervision in the school board when employees stole almost $1,000,000. I questioned appointing the person who was in charge of administration to be the next superintendent. He is not the ‘entire leadership’ of the school board, and I never once suggested that he ‘needed to go’.

• “the city of bossier city”.

Again, I questioned the continued hiring and spending when the mayor and council knew that had a budget problem. I opposed the layoffs. I never once said that any official in Bossier City ‘needed to go’.

• “The DA’s office.”

Herein lies the commenter’s problem. I have questioned what appears to be an excessive number of ‘nol-prossed’ charges, even when the First Assistant DA stated that an individual would be prosecuted ‘to the fullest extent of the law’. That entailed taking a plea on one charge and dropping 5 others.

Still, I had no major problem with the DA until someone in his Bossier office gave information to Eric Johnson, a Minden attorney, who twisted the facts to feed to The Inquisitor in an effort to discredit my son, a police officer. Why would they want to do that? Because he had arrested one of their own. Thankfully, Danny Lawler has more integrity and character than the individual in the DA’s office who did this, and did not put this in print without giving an opportunity to refute.

Louisiana has a ‘must arrest’ policy for domestic violence cases, which means that if it even appears to the officer that domestic violence has occurred, he ‘must arrest’. The DA apparently has a ‘must not’ arrest policy if the arrestee is one of his friends or employees.

What is so troubling about this is that they believe that it is perfectly all right to act in this manner.

It is not.

I think the problem with lawyers is that as a result of their profession, they become so caught up in what is ‘legal’, that they forget sometimes what is right and what is wrong. The individual who did this, with or without the support of the District Attorney himself, should be ashamed.

• “I dont see how you wake up in this community each day without being in a horrible state of depression. It must really suck to see the world from such a half empty perspective.”

I wake up every morning looking forward to the day. I have a wonderful family, great friends, and I do not have a ‘half empty’ perspective. I got a new lease on life about 7 years ago and have relished every day since.

• “We have good leaders in this community that try to do the right thing - but crap happens and people with very little information attack peoples character with no basis - it is a wonder that anyone would do those jobs”

We do have a lot of good elected officials. You look at them as leaders, I prefer to look at them as public servants, the role they claim when they are running for office. Crap doesn’t happen, it is caused to happen. I have not attacked anyone’s character, unless you consider relating the facts an attack.

As to whether it is a wonder anyone would do the jobs, that is their choice. They know, or should know, when they seek office, that they are accountable to the people. As Harry Truman said, ‘if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”

• “you know its kind of like anytime one cop does something wrong - the entire department is suddenly a bunch of crooks, civil rights violators or thugs - i am sure you can relate to that”

No, actually I can’t. I’ve never worked in law enforcement, but if you want me to apologize for supporting the people who do, you’ll have a long wait.

Blogging is a great thing. On my blog I get to express my opinions about what is going on around us. Although some bloggers choose to comment on national politics and such, I find that I like to comment on what is happening in our area. I have from the beginning had an open comments section and welcome comments, like the one above, from people of all persuasions.

I started My Bossier about two years ago and it has had a good response. Last month was the biggest we have had yet, with 19,247 hits and 433 comments. That’s not bad for a local blog. This month, we’re closer to normal with an average of between 300 and 350 hits a day. (A ‘hit’ is anyone coming to the blog either through a link or directly to the site.)

Keep on reading, and keep on commenting!

Bossier City Council steps up

The Bossier City Council met yesterday and presented their version of the 2010 budget. The council has heard a lot from constituents about the proposed layoffs, and not very much of it was favorable. They have stepped up and worked out a compromise plan which basically is what we outlined in an earlier blog post: “ . . . the plan spares 20 policemen and 20 firemen from the Mayor’s ax. Of the remaining 37 cuts across different city departments, 16 will be spared and 21 will be laid off.”
The council has never been so involved in changing a budget, and the public has not been so interested. Hopefully this process has awakened the people of Bossier and they will take more interest in the process from now on.
The budget needs 4 votes to be approved, and in the event that the mayor sees fit to veto it, 5 votes to override.
You can view the council's version of the budget here.

Here's something you'll never see in Bossier

Sheriff forms public corruption unit

Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator has scheduled a news conference to announce the formation of a public integrity unit that will investigate complaints of wrongdoing by elected officials and local government employees.
The two sheriff's detectives who will be assigned to that unit are the lead investigators in the Community Development case. The public corruption unit will work in conjunction with the Caddo district attorney's office, which would prosecute any cases.
"We're sick and tired of hearing complaints about favoritism and nepotism and, 'It's not what you know; it's who you know,'" Prator said. "I want to create a vehicle that citizens can know that what they say is at least investigated."
From KTBS

Bossier DA: the fullest extent of the law?

In November of 2006, A Bossier Deputy sheriff who was directing traffic at an accident scene had a close call when a car sped past him at 87 mph. A deputy stopped the car, which was driven by Richard Hahn. On observing Hahn’s slurred speech, five empty beer cans and two empty vodka bottles in the car, the deputy asked him how much he had to drink. “Not enough”, was the reply.
Hahn was charged by the Sheriff’s Department with DWI 3^rd offense (a felony), a charge which could carry from one to five years in prison. He was also charged with speeding 87 in a 55, no drivers license, open container, careless operation and flight from an officer.

Sheriff’s spokesman Ed Baswell said "we'll arrest and keep on arresting. Someone else takes care of prosecution."

That person, of course, is the Bossier DA. Bossier Parish First Assistant District Attorney Lane Pittard said at the time, "we'll prosecute this guy to the fullest extent of the law." Pittard said Louisiana law pushes multiple offenders into rehab and counseling, but he believes the risk is just too high. Pittard says, because of that, the law does need to go back with the mandatory prison sentences."

Hahn appeared before Judge Jeff Cox on March 7, 2007. In a plea arrangement worked out by the DA’s office, he was allowed to plead guilty to DWI 1^st offense (a misdemeanor). He was sentenced to 60 days in jail (suspended), one year’s probation and a $500 fine.

As to the other charges:

• Flight from an officer: Nol-prossed
• Careless Operation: Nol-prossed
• Open Container: Nol-prossed
• No Driver’s license: Nol-prossed
• Speeding 87/55: Nol-prossed

Is allowing him to plead guilty to a misdemeanor which had been reduced from a felony and dismissing the other five charges really the full extent of the law?

You’ll have to be the judge of that.

Same song, second verse

Hahn was back just a year later, in May of 2008, with a ticket from Louisiana State Police charging him with DWI 3^rd offense, again a felony. He was charged by the DA with DWI 2^nd offense, a misdemeanor. He was also charged with driving under suspension and improper lane change.

He appeared in court in January of this year and was allowed, in another plea bargain arranged by the DA’s office, to plead guilty once again to a DWI 1^st offense.

This time, he was sentenced, also by Judge Cox, to 90 days in jail (suspended), a $750 fine and another one year’s probation. The other two charges were nol-prossed.

The fullest extent of the law?

Bossier City Mayor refuses to work with council on budget

"I support my budget, this is my budget and I'm sticking with it".
That is the message that Mayor Lo Walker has given to the city council in refusing to work with them in re-working the 2010 budget.
The budget the council is working on will tenatively not take any policemen off the street. People who are eligible will retire, and the five people who are now in the academy will be let go, but not until they complete their training.
As for the fire department, which was due to face 38 cuts, 8 active firemen will be laid off along with the 10 in the academy.
Basically, the plan spares 20 policemen and 20 firemen from the Mayor’s ax.
Of the remaining 37 cuts across different city departments, 16 will be spared and 21 will be laid off.
Every department, including police and fire, will have to make an across the board (except for salaries) 15% cut.
There will be no raises in the Mayor’s office and the travel budget will be cut.
Heather Carter, who started the Facebook group Save our Bossier City Police and Firefighters, has has been working with the council and has provided us with this information.
Heather’s husband is a Bossier City Police Officer who would have been laid off under the mayor’s plan. Heather has worked tirelessly in organizing the group, which now has 3,600 members, and has led the internet effort to save the jobs.
That’s Heather in the picture below with her two favorite people.

Unanswered questions about Cyber Innovation Center

This is what we were told to justify the $107,000,000 investment by the City, the Parish and the State:
“We’re definitely on the fast track here,” said David Rockett, executive director of the Greater Bossier Economic Development Foundation.
"What that means is 10,000 potential new employees with families that will need to find housing, enroll children in the school system, drive on city streets and shop in local stores.”
"In my opinion, it's a done deal," Bossier City Mayor Lo Walker, a retired Air Force colonel, said of Cyber Command coming to Barksdale.
CIC Director Craig Spohn was quoted as saying "Cyberspace is where the next big threat to industry, individuals and national security is."
"Artillery and nuclear missiles will not be the weapons of the future.”
After it was announced that there would be no separate Cyber Command, and that what was left of it was to be in San Antonio, Mr. Spohn changed his tune.
"We were never intending to be a one trick-pony with respect to the Air Force. The Air Force provided us a good catalyst and still does because of the things at Barksdale Air Force Base and it's not scheduled to go away.
"There are new businesses coming to town," Spohn insisted. "There are actually millions of dollars worth of research in the cyber field today that weren't here a year ago."
Perhaps Mr. Spohn could share the names of the businesses that have been lured here by the CIC, and give us examples of these millions of dollars of research that CIC has helped create. We could feel much more comfortable about the $107,000,000 if we had some specifics.
Meanwhile, some people have a different take on CIC.

Haynesville Shale Expo Friday

November 13th at Shreveport Civic Center

Bossier City Council wants to hear from citizens

Bossier City Council President Don Williams has put the word out that the council wants to hear from the public on the 2010 budget. While the mayor’s budget called for 40 layoffs in each the fire and police departments, and 37 cuts elsewhere in the city, several council members have been meeting in an effort to stave off any layoffs of officers and firemen on the street.
They are working to get people who have reached eligibility to go ahead and retire and to find money to plug the gaps that are left.
Positions will still be eliminated, but not through layoffs, if they can get the plan consolidated and approved.
If the council can achieve that, freeze hiring, and if they follow it very closely every month as David Jones has suggested, the city could suffer as few casualties of the financial crisis as possible.
The next city council meeting will be next Tuesday at 3PM. Please attend and share your thoughts with the council.
Video of yesterday’s meeting is courtesy of KTBS.

Some things are worth paying for

When Bossier City police officer Trey Hutchison was murdered while answering a domestic violence hang up 911 call on August 11, 2004, the entire city and area was in shock and mourning. On the day of his funeral people lined the route from First Baptist Bossier to Hillcrest cemetery to show their love and support for his family and for his memory. My sister, brother-in-law and I found a spot in the corner of the mall right by the church.
We all have memories that will live with us until we die. One memory that is engraved in my soul is the image of Chief Halphen driving Officer Hutchison’s car at the head of the procession as it left the church, followed by the entire Bossier City Police force and by officers representing police departments and sheriffs all around the region and state.
Now, each year the Caddo/Bossier Domestic Violence Task Force honors one Caddo and one Bossier law enforcement officers with the Trey Hutchison award for outstanding performance in the field of domestic violence prevention.
In a bitter twist of irony, the award ceremony this year was held on October 17th. This is the day that Mayor Walker chose to announce his plan to eliminate 40 positions from the police departments, 40 from the fire department, and 37 other positions spread around different city departments.
Some things go beyond the budget and beyond politics. When these officers were hired and trained they were repeatedly asked if they were willing to give a total commitment to the City of Bossier City and to the people of Bossier. In every case, they unhesitatingly made that commitment.
Now the question has been reversed: what commitment has the city made to these men and women who promised to serve, even at risk of their own lives?
That question has yet to be answered.

Then came the storms
As if a sign, a couple of weeks after the announcement Bossier City and the area were wracked by tornadoes, storms and floods. Guess who was on the frontlines, working for days with 3 or 4 hours sleep, giving everything they had to keep the people of Bossier City safe?
One of the officers told the story of ‘a woman and her two kids that got their car stuck in all of the water at the entrance to Old Greenacres. He and another officer got her and two kids out of the car in water up past their knees and then pushed her car out of the water. She just cried and told them thank you and that she did not know what she would have done if they had not been there.’
Hopefully she can find time to attend the city council meeting Tuesday at 3pm and make her feelings known.
This officer made the statement that “I will continue to put on my badge and do my job until I'm told that I'm not needed anymore.”
Another of the officers who is due to be laid off noted that there “Must be a lot of out-of-towners in Bossier, cause no way a bossier city citizen would cuss me like I've been cussed tonite while directing traffic in the rain.”
On a lighter note, he also said “If a police officer is directing traffic in a manner that you consider incorrect, honk at him. He will realize your superior knowledge and allow you through!”
This says a lot about the character of the people who have been chosen to serve. Now we are waiting to see if the character of the people who are being served can match that.
There will be a city council meeting Tuesday at 3pm at City Hall. If you feel strongly that politics should be put aside and that the City should make a commitment to keep these officers and firemen, try to attend the meeting and let your feelings be known, if only by your presence.
If you have not yet contacted the council, email us at this link and we will be glad to pass on your email to them.