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Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office sees changes with incoming police department

Posted at 6:01 PM, Jun 05, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-05 19:01:16-04

In four weeks the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office will lose nearly a third of its budget, spurred by the incoming New Iberia Police Department.

"It’s going to be a brand new police department and on July first, it’s going to be a brand new sheriff’s office," says Major Wendell Raborn of the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office. 

The workload of the sheriff’s office is about to be much lighter.

"Right now we dedicate almost 100% of our effort in the city, and it’s very demanding, so we are going to be able to put a couple of deputies out in the parish," says Raborn.

A lighter workload will mean a lighter wallet. The sheriff’s office is losing the funding that comes with its contract with the city. They’re cutting staff, but many of those employees are going to work for the police department.

"The vast majority of the officers that we would be looking to lose have gone to the New Iberia Police Department. They’re getting a lot of well trained guys and gals out there so kind of a head start for them," says Raborn.

Now the sheriff’s office will be focusing on patrols outside of the city.

"You will see more deputies out in the parish, you will see more units patrolling areas and they will have time to be proactive, to check businesses, to be out there in the parish. Crime isn’t just limited to the city it happens all over. Its just that we’ve had to be reactive and now we can be out in the parish being proactive," says Raborn.

The new New Iberia Police Department is still hiring. Use this link to apply.