August 31, 2001

Ascension Parish Sheriff Department
Jeff Wiley
828 South Irma Blvd
Gonzales, La. 70737

Sir:

On this date at 8:10 AM I observed an Ascension Parish cruiser, unit number 214, parked at the Dutchtown Tigermart Exxon station on Highway 73. The deputy was inside with his elbows on the doughnut counter laughing and joking with the girls behind the counter.

I observed this deputy from 8:10 AM until 8:45 AM at which time I drove back to my home and contacted your Lt. Martin. This was at 8:55 AM at which time your unit was still parked at the Dutchtown Tigermart with the deputy more than likely still with his elbows on the counter flirting with the girls who work there.

I have observed this behavior on many occasions. Not only at this location, but many others through out the parish. I would appreciate it, and I’m sure the majority of parish taxpayers would also, that you personally put the sheriff deputies and their units back on the road patrolling and out of the coffee shops, parking lots, and other locations where they do not belong. In this case your unit 214 and its deputy could have been a few hundred yards down Highway 73 tagging speeders at the Dutchtown School zone.

It appears to me that incompetence permeates throughout your organization from the top down. Why else would we have the shameful distinction in this parish of 104 traffic deaths from 1995 through 1999, and a crime rate, depending upon the area, between 5 and 8 on a scale of 10?

Chuck Le Mieux

Cc/email to:
The Ascension Citizen
Ascension Parish CAO Mr. R. Anderson
The Ascension Parish Council c/o Mr. R. Loupe
Mr. Martin McConnell Ascension Parish Council District 10
Mr. Dudley Brown Ascension Parish Council District 4
Mr. Darnell Martinez Ascension Parish Council District 11
Mr. Jerry Savoy Ascension Parish Council District 9
Mr. Shafter Kling Ascension Parish Council District 8
Mr. Donnell Nickens  Ascension Parish Council District 5
Mr. Alvin Thomas Ascension Parish Council District 1
Mr. Adrian Thompson Ascension Parish Council District 3
Mr. Harold Marchand Ascension Parish President
Ms. Patricia Cook Ascension Parish Executive Secretary
Mr. Doyle Mitchell Ascension Parish Public Works
Mr. Bill Roux Ascension Parish Public Works
Mr. Jeff Wiley Ascension Parish Sheriff c/o Mr. Tony Bacala
Mr. & Mrs. Bill Essary
Mr. David Young The Gonzales Weekly
Mr. David Young The Community Mirror
Mr. David Young Ascension Parish TV
Mr. R. Carter Louisiana Department of Transportation
Mr. G. Nelson Louisiana Department of Transportation
Mr. John MacMillan The Advocate’s River Parish Office
Representative Emma Devillier
Representative John Juba Diez
Representative Roy Quezaire, Jr.
Senator Louis J. Lambert Louisiana State Senate
Mr. Steven Ward The Advocate’s River Parish Office
WBRZ Channel 2 News Room
WBRZ Channel Two Road Patrol Ms. Jennifer Sheffield

A copy of this letter has been published to the web site Inside Ascension Parish at http://www.inascension.com

There have been 281 traffic deaths from 1995 through 2007 on Ascension Parish roads
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