Editor’s note: The following is a direct message from Madison Parish Sheriff Sammie Byrd.
I, Sammie L. Byrd, with a deep commitment to continue to serve my fellow citizens in the parish I proudly call home, announce I am seeking a second term as Madison Parish Sheriff. I am thankful for the overwhelming encouragement and support I have received from the people of this parish who believe in me, and I am excited about the prospect of being re-elected as your sheriff.
My career began in 1972 as a patrolman at age 18, for the City of Tallulah under Chief of Police, Zelma Wyche. In September 1978, I was hired as a deputy sheriff under Sheriff R.R. Mitchell, where he later appointed me as his chief criminal investigator. I remained in that position serving under Sheriff C. R. Harmon Jr. for six years.
In 1994, I served as the chief of security for the new Juvenile Detention Center until 1996 when I returned to the Sheriff’s Office as chief deputy for newly elected Sheriff Larry Cox where I served for 13 years. I retired from the Sheriff’s Office in December 2009, and accepted a position with District Attorney Jim Paxton, as a DA investigator. In the fall of 2019, I was encouraged by the community to enter the sheriff’s race after Sheriff Larry Cox announced he would not be seeking re-election due to illness.
In November 2019, I was honored by the voters of this parish to be elected sheriff of Madison Parish. On January 1, 2020, Sheriff Cox asked that I return to his office as his chief deputy, a position that was never filled after my retirement from the sheriff’s office. I took my oath as sheriff on January 21, 2020, to fill the unexpired term of Sheriff Cox, who sadly passed away on January 17, 2020. I was again sworn in July 2020 to begin my official four-year term as sheriff.
I have proudly served you in the Criminal Justice System for over 44 years, as a police officer, deputy sheriff, Chief Criminal Investigator, Chief Deputy, District Attorney Investigator, and Sheriff. Having worked in both the enforcement and prosecution areas of the Criminal Justice System, I have a unique understanding of how the laws of this State must be enforced and prosecuted justly. I stand firm in my belief that to enforce the laws of the State of Louisiana one must first know the laws he/she is to enforce.
My wife, Lisa, and I have been married for 31 years and between us have been blessed with five daughters, four sons-in-law, and 10 grandchildren, and one great grandchild. We are members of the First Baptist Church of Tallulah. God blessed us with the positions we currently hold, and we believe it is His will that we continue to serve the public. Lisa has been employed in the administration division of the Sheriff for 48 years and loves helping people.
In my last campaign, I pledged that public safety in the parish would be my highest priority, and that I would work tirelessly to ensure our homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools would be kept safe. Under my direction, my deputies have made great strides in obtaining the goals I envisioned.
Following are some of the examples of the accomplishments of the Madison Parish Sheriff’s Office, under my direction:
• Increased the number of uniformed deputies in marked units patrolling the parish.
• Diversified hiring practices to better reflect the population we serve.
• Increased salaries of deputies allowing for a better standard of living.
• Increased training of all deputies including those assigned to specialized duties.
• Established an active Reserve Deputy Unit from the community who volunteer their time to assist our regular deputies in their duties.
• Increased the number of arrests for illegal gun possession and use, therefore reducing violent crime and the number of illegal guns in our community.
• Increased security for the Courthouse, Courtroom, and court personnel.
• Increased the number of School Resource Officers protecting our children and teachers, including providing deputies for after school activities.
• Increased traffic control on all streets and roads in the parish, including I-20, in order to decrease the number of vehicle accidents caused by speeding, reckless driving, drinking while driving, and driving without a valid license and/or insurance.
• Increased the number of arrests for warrants issued by the Court through a dedicated warrant division.
• Negotiated contracts with local security companies and the La Department of Corrections to continue the operation of private prisons in the parish, therefore providing employment opportunities for residents.
• Modified policies during the Pandemic to safeguard personnel without compromising effective law enforcement.
• Initiated a mobile trash collection detail to keep our streets and roads free of litter.
I am deeply honored in the trust the people of Madison Parish have placed in me. I vow to continue to live up to that trust if re-elected Sheriff of Madison Parish. Please know, I am always available to you, in person or by phone, to answer any questions or concerns you may have. I am committed to keeping public safety in our parish my number one priority.
I encourage each of you to “Early Vote” at the Courthouse from Saturday, September 30, 2023 – Saturday, October 7, 2023. The primary election will be held on Saturday, October 14, 2023.
