BOSSIER PARISH SHERIFF’S POSSE

Sheriff Larry Deen formed the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Posse in 1995 and the visibility of its members has helped make Bossier Parish one of the safest places to live in Louisiana. The Posse is a group of 270 retired men who volunteer their time to patrol the parish. They are in uniform, purchased at their own cost, and drive marked cars.

Wike-Strange VFW Post 5099 of Plain Dealing, Louisiana has 13 members who volunteer with the Posse. This is one of their most important contributions to the Community Activities programs. These dedicated Posse members, many of them former military men, are trained to perform CPR, report accidents, preserve crime scenes, assist with funeral escorts, and check the homes of vacationing citizens. The following is a list of Wike-Strange VFW Post 5099 members who are members of the Posse and the number of volunteer hours they have completed to date:

• Harry Stevens – 2,200 hours
• William Robinson – 900 hours
• Del Rester – 1,434 hours
• John Mood – 892 hours
• Davis McCall – 1,072 hours
• Joe Van, Jr. – 1,075 hours
• Lewis Whipple – 1,122 hours
• Glenn White – 708 hours
• Early Lunsford – 1,566 hours
• Jerry Larsen – 761 hours
• George Finck, 1,122 hours
• Bill Budwam – 956 hours
• Bill Breeland – 1,397 hours

Posse members and Bossier Sheriff’s Posse Auxiliary members contact elderly parish residents as part of Sheriff Deen’s Telephone Reassurance Program at least one day per week. The volunteers keep in touch with senior citizens in the parish, following up on any problems they might have, or simply lifting their spirits by being friendly and offering encouragement. Their presence, with regular patrol deputies, is primarily responsible for the 14 percent decrease in burglaries during 2002. It is also recognized that with the forming of the Posse in 1995, that daytime burglaries are down 25 percent.