Category: Pine Bluff Commercial News
Woods reflects in first year at helm of JCSO
Pine Bluff Commercial News
Read Full Article
By Shakari Briggs Pine Bluff Commercial
Posted at 2:27 PM
With his first year as sheriff of Jefferson County behind him, Lafayette Woods, Jr. refuses to loiter when it comes to moving his office into the future.
With his first year as sheriff of Jefferson County behind him, Lafayette Woods, Jr. refuses to loiter when it comes to moving his office into the future. In fact, he’s already working on accomplishing a feat he says no other sheriff’s office in the natural state has managed to do.
“As part of the many focuses in my second year as sheriff, I am proud to share with citizens of Jefferson County our enrollment into the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc.,” Woods said. “The accreditation is a process in which our agency will be evaluated on compliance with prescribed standards established by CALEA--- the gold standard in public safety. Out of the large number of municipal law enforcement agencies in the state of Arkansas, there are only six agencies that hold the distinction of being a CALEA Law Enforcement accredited agency.”
With the support and cooperation of the men and women in his office, Woods explains that last year he launched a website and mobile app with the intent to improve transparency and community and public relations. After going dormant for a few years, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Program returned with the acquisition of a new dog.
“Together, we are a reflection of the citizens of Jefferson County--- who we represent, protect, and serve,” Woods said of his employees. “We are all working together and our impact is visible in the community.“
Woods cites improved crime statistics over the past year to “increased trust in county law enforcement” combined with a “boost in employee morale” prompting deputies to “place service above self.”
“There was an increase by 55.56 percent in the category of theft of motor vehicles with a 41.67 percent decrease of other theft categories such as theft from building counterfeiting in 2019 compared to 2018,” he said. “In general, violent crimes were down with robberies reduced by 100 percent and property crimes are down with burglaries/breaking and entering reduced by 48.28 percent.”
Despite the improvements Woods made in his first year, it didn’t come without its various challenges. Just months after he was sworn in on Jan. 1, Jefferson County saw record-levels of flooding forcing residents to evacuate to seek shelter.
“During that time, we witnessed flooding in areas such as Island Harbor, Riverside Drive, and other areas in Pine Bluff,” Woods said. “Areas such as Knotts Island, Wright-Pastoria and Trulock Bay were also affected due to their close proximity to the Arkansas River and levees that parallel the river’s course. Overall, we were successful in working alongside very capable individuals to diminish the consequences of an even greater disaster narrowly avoiding injury or death.”
With the escape of two inmates--- Wesley Gullett, a suspected leader of a white supremacist gang and a fellow detainee Christopher Sanderson--- from the W.C. “Dub” Brassell Adult Detention Center that allegedly occurred between 8:30 p.m. on Mon., July 29, and 4:30 a.m. Tues., July 30., Woods found himself at the center of a search for both men.
“Following an extensive manhunt with multiple agencies working together, both Gullett and Sanderson were later recaptured,” he said. “One thing that aided in the escape was the use of jail mat padding to construct makeshift “dummy bodies”, which were then placed in the beds of the escapees in order to give jailors the impression they were asleep. Additionally, when conducting cell counts, jail personnel failed to follow proper protocol revealed in an internal investigation that ultimately resulted in the termination of at least one detention center supervisor and a subordinate.“
Woods attributes vulnerabilities in the security caused by “structural deficiencies” as a result of a decade old building that also led to contraband entering into the detention center.
“I identified funding to support the construction of a security fence equipped with razor wire and an intrusion detention system along the upper perimeter of the detention center,” he said. “Additional cameras were also installed along the outer perimeter.”
Budget woes also surfaced as major hurdles for Woods last year and continue to be an issue for his office.
“At the onset of my first year in office, I was immediately faced with the challenge of an inadequate budget that threatened operations and personnel severely,” he said. “Essential positions including assistance to the juvenile justice center and adult jail administrators were carved out of the budget prior to me taking office. As a result, I was forced to operate with only one administrator for the W.C. “Dub” Brassell Adult Detention Center and Jack Jones Juvenile Justice Center with maximum capacities of 316 and 87, respectively.”
Even with the challenges Woods encountered last year, he insists they motivate him to work harder on behalf of the citizens of Jefferson County.
“I made a promise to both voters and personnel that my vision of success for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office would be realized no matter the challenges,” he said. “Despite the challenges, I have remained focused on improving the standards in which we operate ultimately holding true to my vision of success.“
As Woods continues to make strides to better the lives of those living in Jefferson County, he says the alliances with other law enforcement agencies help in those efforts.
“As it relates to enhancing partnerships with neighboring agencies, our agency shares the responsibility of hosting quarterly meetings with the heads of law enforcement agencies within its jurisdiction to include the Arkansas State Police, Pine Bluff Police Department, White Hall Police Department, Redfield Police Department and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s Office of Public Safety,” he said. “This interagency collaboration has helped to promote greater efficiency in service delivery to our respective citizens while producing more public value by working together toward a common purpose or goal. I give credit to Pine Bluff police chief Kevin Sergeant who hosted the first meeting for bringing all agencies together.“
With a vision of pushing his office and Jefferson County into new heights, Woods’ gives credit to residents for trusting him to be the leader of that vision.
“With God guiding my career and citizens providing me with the opportunity to serve, there is no greater reward,” he said.
Posted on 26 Mar 2020, 21:25 - Category: Pine Bluff Commercial News
Jefferson County Sheriff Earns MBA
Pine Bluff Commercial News
By THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Posted May 15, 2018 at 11:27 AM
Jefferson County Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr. graduated with a Master of Business Administration degree from Liberty University at Lynchburg, Va., May 11.
“For me, this MBA degree can be summed up by one word —- achievement,” Woods said in a news release. “I’ve managed to achieve yet another goal. Life for me has been about setting goals and checking them off upon completion.”
The journey to the MBA came with its challenges, Woods said. During the last year of his 36-hour program, he kicked off his campaign for sheriff. One of those people counting on him to accomplish his goal was his father.
“Nearly 15 years ago, Lafayette Woods Sr. made the decision to further his education by obtaining a Master of Science degree in addiction studies at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff,” according to the release.
Woods earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice from the UAPB in 2004, according to the release.
“I have always known that my education would not be limited to an undergraduate degree,” he said. “Education is something that my father instilled in my three siblings and me at an early age.”
Woods plans to use the skills he learned and apply them to his role as sheriff.
“An MBA has the potential to make a tangible impact on my agency, introducing cross-cultural management, global alumni networks and digital innovation to public safety,” he said. “As a veteran law enforcement officer now serving as the 32nd sheriff of Jefferson County, I believe the tools I acquired will help me in my role of public safety.”
The commencement speaker was Vice President Mike Pence. More than 20,000 graduated in Liberty University’s largest class in history, according to the release.
“As a devout Christian reared in a Baptist church pastored by my father, I found that Liberty’s philosophy of education intertwined with its Christian academic community matched my desire to study business at an institution whose vision involved developing Christ-centered men and women with the values, knowledge and skills essential to impact the world.”
Read More...Posted on 15 May 2019, 18:42 - Category: Pine Bluff Commercial News
Woods elected Jefferson County sheriff
Pine Bluff Commercial News
By THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Posted May 23, 2018 at 1:55 AM
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Maj. Lafayette Woods Jr. is the winner in a three-way race for the Democratic Party’s nomination for sheriff as a result of voting in Tuesday’s Democratic Primary. There was no Republican candidate for the seat.
Woods will replace current Sheriff Gerald Robinson, who is stepping down at the end of the year. Robinson was also just elected Jefferson County judge.
Woods fought off challenges from former deputy Larry Gragg and retired State Police Investigator Roger McLemore to win without a runoff.
Complete but unofficial voting totals are:
Woods 4,639
Gragg 1,754
McLemore 1,769
“I’m humbled by the numbers,” Woods said Tuesday night. “I’ve been blessed by support from the entire community the entire way.”
Woods said that while he had been involved in other campaigns, particularly those of his father, who is the Jefferson County circuit clerk and of current Sheriff Gerald Robinson, “It’s different when you’re running your own campaign. There has been no stone that I’ve left unturned, be it social media, door to door, mailers, you name it I’ve done it.”
As the operations commander and public spokesman for the sheriff’s department, Woods was the hand-picked choice of Robinson to replace him at the top.
He has been on the job since 2004 and worked uniform patrol until being reassigned to the Tri-County Drug Task Force and loaned to the Drug Enforcement Administration where he worked undercover narcotics. He said he almost went to work for the DEA full time before Robinson talked him out of it and he has been with the department ever since.
“It’s been a bittersweet career,” Woods said. “I am following a higher power and the Lord put me in this place at this time. This is the next step in my career because there is nowhere else to go.”
Asked about the county’s budget and the lack of funds available, Woods said “we’ve got challenges in public safety and recruitment because there’s not a lot of money. We’re trying to recruit qualified people who want to make a career and not just have a job.”
To that end, Woods said he frequently attends career fairs and Southeast Arkansas College and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and the department also offers internships which will pay students and allow them to receive college credit at the same time.
He said that in 2015, the department’s budget was cut “but we were still expected to do the same job. We know the challenges because no matter what, we’re expected to provide the same level of services.”
Woods said that Jefferson County is one of the largest counties in the state and the demand for services is great “but we don’t control the price of gas.”
He said his first priority as sheriff will be to evaluate the command staff and ensure that “people are the most effective and most needed.”
“Second, I want to make sure the department has all the resources and tools we need to make the job easier. We do a good job but there’s always room for improvement.”
Another plan is to reactivate the junior deputy program, which, he said, “has gone downhill for the last couple of years. We want to try to reach kids in grade school and get them excited about a career in law enforcement. We already do a program for kids with the Sheriff’s Fun Day every year but we can reach out in other ways as well.”
With his number of years in drug investigations, Woods said he will “vigorously go after those that sell drugs,” including the unauthorized use of prescription drugs.
“We’ve got to learn to do more with less,” Woods said.
Read More...Posted on 23 May 2018, 24:50 - Category: Pine Bluff Commercial News
JCSO spreads Christmas cheer to kids
By SPECIAL TO THE COMMERCIAL
Posted Dec 23, 2017 at 12:01 AMUpdated Dec 23, 2017 at 9:54 PM
Despite torrential rains, members of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office made several stops on Friday to provide a little Christmas cheer to area children whose parents are incarcerated at the Arkansas Department of Correction. Deputies delivered gifts as part of a collaborative effort created by the Palarm Missionary Baptist Church of Mayflower, Arkansas, who this year are being assisted by Teach for America and the JCSO.
The three are working with the J. Aaron Hawkins Sr. Center-Wrightsville Women’s Prison to host an Angel Tree for 150 children who will be without one or both parents this holiday season as a result of incarceration. This initiative is being conducted in 30 counties across Arkansas.
According to a 2014 study by the National Resource Center on Children and Families, more than 2.7 million children in the United States have an incarcerated parent, which is 1 in 28 kids.
“The impact of those statistics are alarming, and makes it tough for some families during the holidays,” said JCSO Operations Commander Maj. Lafayette Woods Jr.
The National Resource Center on Children and Families suggests that while many of the risk factors children of incarcerated parents experience may be related to parental substance abuse, mental health, inadequate education, or other challenges, parental incarceration increases the risk of children living in poverty or experiencing household instability independent of these other problems.
“As a child, my siblings and I were very fortunate to have both parents during our upbringing and through our adult lives,” Woods said. “As children, we never experienced going without life’s necessities and a joyful Christmas by waking up to a room filled with the things we hoped that Santa (our parents) would bring us.”
The partnership between JCSO and Teach for America is an opportunity for the two to collaborate in order to spread a little holiday cheer by stepping up and supporting those families who do not have the traditional home setting.
“Although we understand that Christmas is a time to remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, witnessing a child waking up on Christmas and making their way to the Christmas tree to unwrap a gift is blessing,” Woods said. “The look on their faces is priceless.”
Read More...
Posted on 24 Dec 2017, 12:19 - Category: Pine Bluff Commercial News
HAPPY THANKSGIVING: Area leaders count blessings
By David Hutter/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF/dhutter@pbcommercial.com
Posted Nov 22, 2017 at 12:01 AMUpdated Nov 22, 2017 at 11:55 PM
Pine Bluff and Jefferson County leaders are counting their Thanksgiving blessings this year, with many being thankful for family and health.
Watson Chapel School District Superintendent Connie Hathorn said he is thankful for doing work that matters and for his family and health.
“I am thankful for the things in my past, which helped bring me where I am today,” Hathorn said via email. “Lastly, and most importantly, I am thankful for grace. I constantly remind myself ‘If it wasn’t for the grace of God, there go I.’”
White Hall School District Interim Superintendent Doug Dorris said he is thankful for his family, wife, children, grandchildren, the White Hall School District and his community.
“I am thankful for our country and the men and women who have fought and continue to fight to keep us free,” Dorris said.
Dollarway School District Superintendent Barbara Warren is grateful for so much.
“I am most thankful for my relationship with The Lord, my dear husband and children, and the opportunity to serve others through my work and in other areas in my life,” Warren said via email.”
Pine Bluff Alderman Bill Brumett is thankful for his family.
“I recently lost my mother,” Brumett said. “It was nice having all my family gather around to support each other.”
Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington said she is always thankful for health, home, family, friends and good food.
“At this season as I look at where I sit in Pine Bluff, I am thankful that the citizens of Pine Bluff are coming together with a spirit of unity and positive gratitude for the changes that are on the horizon for our city: Pine Bluff, Arkansas,” Washington said.
Jefferson County Judge Henry “Hank” Wilkins IV said he is “most grateful for his faith in Jesus Christ, my family and the opportunity to serve the people of Jefferson County.”
He said that he plans more improvements in the coming months that will benefit not only county employees but also all county residents.
Pine Bluff Police Chief Ivan Whitfield is thankful that God has allowed life to be as well as it is in times like the present in Pine Bluff.
“When we look at the conditions of the world, we are blessed,” Whitfield said. “I am thankful for opportunities and I am thankful for our strength, health and right mind. I am thankful to God who has allowed me to be in a position to help people. I am thankful for family, friends and the entire community.”
White Hall Mayor Noel Foster said he is thankful for his health and his family’s health and the people of White Hall.
“We live in a small community,” Foster said. “People here care about each other in our community.”
Pine Bluff Fire and Emergency Services Chief Shauwn Howell said he is thankful for his health, family, and supporters of his endeavors on a personal and professional level.
“I receive overwhelming support on a daily basis,” Howell said. “I am thankful for the opportunity that was bestowed upon me to be the fire chief. It is a collective effort among all the members of the Pine Bluff Fire and Emergency Services Department. It is not a one-man show. I am thankful for our men and women who come to work each day and perform at a high level.”
Pine Bluff High School art teacher Shalisha Thomas said she is thankful for her support system.
“As a teacher, it’s not always easy,” Thomas said. “But I always have my family and my friends to back me up. And even my students are a great support to me.”
Former Alderman Glen Brown Sr., who remains active in the local political scene, said that he is “thankful every day for the breath of life and I pray the world will turn into a better place. On Thanksgiving, I usually work in the morning. On my way home, I pull to the side of the road and give thanks for family, friends and the breath of life. I do this every Thanksgiving. I make a special thanks for being alive. I wish everybody could be very peaceful. We eat special foods on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I think we do a good job as a city and country. Every day we need to give thanks for the breath of life.”
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Major Lafayette Woods Jr. said he is thankful for life.
“There is so much going on in 2017 and in earlier years,” Woods said.
“We live in perilous times. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone. I am thankful for the ability to have been able to do the things I wanted in life. During times like this, I have been close to several organizations and been able to give back to others who are less fortunate. I spent time with a nonprofit organization Koal to Diamond, a graduate chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, to collect money to buy a Thanksgiving meal for less fortunate people.
“I have learned that to live life with meaning means living life with gratitude. Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful we receive every day. I feel like we take it for granted when you do not wonder where your next meal will come from. I do not have that problem. I am pleased to be in a position to give back to someone who is less fortunate. All my family is here. My siblings who live out of town will be coming in.”
Pine Bluff Treasurer Greg Gustek is thankful for Pine Bluff voters approving Go Forward Pine Bluff, a five-eighths cent sales tax increase to spur economic revitalization. He is also thankful for Pine Bluff Rising and the nonprofit Lake Saracen Project Association, of which he is the treasurer. The Lake Saracen Project Association was one of the organizations that oversaw the construction of the Lake Saracen Trail.
“All these things that are happening are positive,” Gustek said. “We are turning the town around. We’re going in the right direction. Being a hometown boy, it’s very special for me.”
Go Forward Pine Bluff is a public-private partnership. Its supporters say it will improve Pine Bluff through quality of life, education, economic development and government infrastructure.
Joy Blankenship is the executive director of Pine Bluff Downtown Development and chairman of the Lake Saracen Project Association. She said she is thankful for the growth that is occurring in downtown Pine Bluff.
“I am very thankful for all the citizens who voted for Go Forward Pine Bluff, to help us do things for the city,” Blankenship said. “And I am very thankful for family.”
Pine Bluff Commercial reporter Ray King contributed to this report.
Read More...Posted on 23 Nov 2017, 11:33 - Category: Pine Bluff Commercial News
Connect With Us