Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator is making good on a promise to decrease spending while increasing services.

Today Prator outlined a series of steps the Sheriff's Office will take to provide more programs and services to taxpayers while continuing to bring the office's budget in line. The improvements include an auxiliary deputy program, boosting the marine fleet, an additional substation, and reshaping the office's special programs unit.

"We're committed to being the most efficient and effective public service agency anywhere," Prator said. "We'll do this through higher deputy standards, citizen involvement, and by working harder and smarter. The journey has just begun."

Prator took office only two weeks ago but already has cut spending by $1.5 million, raised department standards by refusing to rehire eight deputies for violating departmental rules, emphasized diversity by placing more minorities in key positions, and provided additional services to citizens at no extra cost.

"One of the changes that I am very proud of deals with victims' rights," Prator said. "Follow-up is very important for solving crimes and providing victims with services."

To ensure all victims receive quality service, Prator said the Sheriff's Office will be recontacting every victim of crime after they file their initial report. Within 72 hours, either a patrol deputy or investigator will contact the person who filed the report to determine if additional information is available or whether other assistance can be provided by the Sheriff's Office.

Prator said the office will be using citizen volunteers to assist with a number of services. To coordinate those volunteers, the Sheriff's Office has developed an auxiliary deputy program. Auxiliaries supplement the services of the Sheriff's Office by volunteering to serve their community without pay. Participants attend a training program and may assist in all areas of the Sheriff's Office including community, marine or mounted patrols; victims' assistance; and community programs.

An existing volunteer program for reserve deputies requires participants to attend 365 hours of law enforcement training. Reserves are P.O.S.T. certified with full law enforcement powers. They donate a minimum of 32 hours per quarter and augment the patrol and investigations divisions.

Participants in either program must be residents of Caddo Parish. For more information or to apply, call Lt. Tommy Alexander at 226-6630 or Personnel at 226-6852.

Citizen volunteers also will be used to assist with air patrols, Prator said, after dissolving the office's $115,000 aviation unit. "We've fielded a number of calls from qualified, professional pilots who are willing to assist at a moment's notice," he said. Additionally, the Sheriff's Office will work with the area's Civil Air Patrol, an auxiliary of the Air Force, to conduct air and ground search and rescue, disaster relief, and other emergency services, at no cost.

On parish waterways, citizens will see more marine patrols for stranded boaters, reckless operators, and drunk drivers. The Sheriff's Office will use existing grant money to purchase one new bay boat and recondition existing boats. In all, five boats will be used to provide service on Red River, Caddo Lake, Black Bayou and other bodies of water.

At 4910 North Market, residents in central Caddo Parish will have more access to the Sheriff's Office with the establishment of a substation at that location. No additional costs will be incurred by the office since the building is already used for patrol operations and fleet maintenance. After August 1, citizens can stop by to obtain copies of accident or offense reports, purchase hunting or fishing licenses, pay fines, or seek assistance from deputies.

The sheriff also is beefing up the special programs unit by reassigning personnel to conduct more crime prevention programs, assist the elderly, and provide aid to victims of crime. The unit has two additional staffers to reach more citizens throughout the parish.

Other services include:

• Receipt of tax payments via credit card by year's end.
• Automated hunting and fishing licenses.
• Formation of a Citizens Police Academy in Caddo Parish. Previously, the office conducted only a Senior Citizens' Academy.
• Consolidation of all specialty units, including the Special Response Team, dive team, search and rescue, ceremonial unit, Explosives Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team, hazardous materials, and K-9, to better coordinate training and services.
• Consolidation of services at the Caddo Correctional Center and the establishment of a program to help inmates re-connect with support groups upon their release.

The sheriff said additional goals are to reconfigure patrol shifts to provide more patrol presence at peak times and offer tax collection at all area substations.