The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office announced today that a parish-wide sheriff’s office millage renewal will appear on the June 27 ballot. The millage, originally approved in 1985, provides continued funding for general operations, equipment, personnel, and specialized programs operated by the Sheriff’s Office throughout Rapides Parish. The renewal would continue the existing millage and would not increase the millage rate for any property owner in Rapides Parish.
One of the major law enforcement initiatives funded by the millage is the Rapides Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) Unit. RADE was established in 2020 to investigate drug trafficking, target illegal narcotics, and address the criminal activity often associated with drug distribution.
“When people think about narcotics enforcement, they often think only about drugs,” Wood said. “What our deputies see every day is that drug trafficking affects much more than that. It contributes to property crimes, child neglect, overdoses, and other criminal activity. That’s why it’s so important that we continue targeting the individuals responsible for bringing these drugs into our communities.”
The results speak for themselves. Just during 2025, RADE investigators made 890 arrests, seized 131 firearms involved in crimes, and removed more than 560 pounds of illegal narcotics from circulation. Those seizures included over 109 pounds of methamphetamine, 65 pounds of fentanyl, 65 pounds of cocaine, and more than 220 pounds of marijuana, along with other illegal narcotics and controlled substances.
Another important service funded through the Sheriff’s Office is the Special Victims Unit working in conjunction with the Family Justice Center. Deputies, investigators, and partner agencies work with survivors of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking helping connect them with services and resources available through the Family Justice Center.
“One of our SVU detectives, Shelby Anderson, said something the other day that really stuck with me,” Wood said. “She said many of these survivors come to us during one of the most difficult times in their lives, and that’s true. That’s what our Special Victims Unit deals with every day. Their job is to support survivors, pursue justice, and hold offenders accountable.”
The Resident Deputy Program is another important service funded through the Sheriff’s Office. Resident deputies serve eight areas of Rapides Parish, including three north of the Red River and five south of the Red River, providing a local law enforcement presence and direct access to deputies who know the communities they serve.
“Whether it’s a dog at large, a trespassing complaint, a property line dispute, or another local issue, people often want to talk to somebody they know and trust,” Wood said. “The Resident Deputy Program places deputies in the communities they serve, allowing them to build relationships and provide a local law enforcement presence in those areas.”
The Sheriff’s Office also operates the newly formed SAFE Program, which introduces young people to outdoor activities including shooting and firearms safety, archery and fishing and provides opportunities to learn about outdoors from adult role models.
“We want to teach them there’s more to life than cell phones, staying in the house, and playing video games,” Wood said. “We want to teach them how to fish, teach them about the outdoors, and show them opportunities they may never have experienced before.”