Traffic & Court Fines Responsibilities of this office COLLECTION OF PARISH AND STATE TRAFFIC TICKETS MISDEMEANOR AND FELONY COURT FINES ORDERED BY THE COURT PROCESSING TRAFFIC BENCH WARRANTS FOR COLLECTION Once these funds are collected by the Sheriff's Office the funds are then disbursed to numerous agencies. DY: MARLENE RUTLAND 1-985-748-8147 EXT 3228 Road Deputy Division The most highly visible department within the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office is the Road Deputies. These law enforcement officers are responsible for responding to over 45,000 calls a year to handle nuisance complaints, domestic violence cases, armed robberies and homicides. Another major part of their jobs is proactive patrol of residential areas throughout the parish. Since being electing, Sheriff Daniel Edwards has increased the number of road deputies by 20%. The Road Deputies also responds to automobile accidents and traffic problems. Because of their presence on our interstates and highways, many of the parish's drug arrests are the result of observant road patrol deputies who have been trained in how to detect signs and symptoms of drug presence and abuse. Detective Division The majority of reports generated by the Tangipahoa Parish Road Deputies are sent on to the Detective Division for investigation, with the detectives handling cases ranging from misdemeanor thefts to homicides. Responsibilities of the detectives include securing crime scenes, collecting evidence and interviewing suspects and witnesses. They work closely with road patrol officers, crime lab personnel, the Parish Coroner and the District Attorney. One of their major responsibilities is preparing the case for court and testifying in trials. The detectives have completed a variety of law enforcement training programs focused on homicides, forgeries, narcotics, sex crimes and other topics. Civil Processing Division The Civil Processing Division of the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff¹s Office processes all paperwork associated with court orders and civil warrants, which includes suits on open notes, primarily for mortgage payments, and orders pertaining to felony charges and child custody transfers. This division also handles the processing of all criminal and civil subpoenas in Tangipahoa Parish and handles all the paperwork associated with movable and immovable property seizures. Also, all Sheriff¹s Sales are under the direction of the Civil Processing Division. Each year, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff¹s Office handles an average of 45 Sheriff¹s sales per month. This division handles other seizures, including garnishments and evictions. They are responsible for preparing seizure notices and distributing them to the Civil Processing deputies to be served. They schedule the Sheriff¹s sales, advertise them in the newspaper and hold them on the designated dates. Ex-Officio Tax Collector The Sheriff is the ex-officio collector of state and parish ad valorem taxes, property taxes, license fees, traffic fines and bond fees as provided by law. As tax collector, the Sheriff also conducts the sale of property for nonpayment of taxes. Once these funds are collected by the Sheriff's Office, the funds are disbursed to the appropriate taxing districts. Juvenile Division The Juvenile Division of the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office does more than just deal with criminal cases involving children 16 years of age or younger. This division spends quite a bit of time working to resolve problems and preventing juvenile crimes. Working close with the Hammond City Court and the 21st Judicial District Attorney's Office the Juvenile Division seeks solutions to problems rather than immediate incarceration. The juvenile cases that are handled by the division include arrests for status offenses, which include not obeying the rules of the home, ungovernable behavior by juveniles, leaving the home without permission, etc. Juvenile offenders are entitled to a hearing before a judge within 72 hours of being charged. Juvenile officers are required to attend the court sessions and are also responsible for transporting the juveniles to and from court appearances and the juvenile facilities. Water Patrol Division In addition to the hundreds of miles of roads in the parish, the Sheriff's Water Patrol Division patrols over 100 miles of inland waterways within the Parish. The Sheriff's Water Patrol Division has a long and proud tradition of being an active part of water safety. The Sheriff's Water Patrol is on call 24-hours a day, seven days a week to respond to calls for stranded boaters, boating accidents and to assist with search and rescue efforts. The Flotilla also takes reports of burglaries and other crimes at camps and businesses located along the waterways and conducts regular patrols by boat during the week to help deter crime and prevent boating accidents. The Water Patrol also takes a pro-active approach to crime prevention. The Water Patrol regularly checks camps along the rivers to ensure the camps are secure and safe. Criminal Records Division The Criminal Records division is responsible for documenting all the reports from deputies regarding criminal offenses, accidents and arrests. The staff is responsible for attending court to document proceedings pertaining to cases that go to trial. They also handle all requests for criminal and background checks as well as requests from insurance companies regarding burglaries, automobile accidents and citations. This division has a great deal of interaction with the general public, handling requests by phone, fax, mail and in person for copies of criminal records and reports. Communications Division Communications is the key to a successful sheriff¹s department in regards to emergency situations and response time. The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff¹s Office Communications Divisions receives and responds to over 45,000 calls and 55,000 ­ 80,000 radio communications per month. Many times, the Communications Division is the first contact with local law enforcement officials in times of an emergency. This is the division that dispatches parish law enforcement personnel to crime scenes, accidents and other emergencies. The members of the Communications Division also serve as an immediate resource to road deputies by providing background information and criminal histories on an immediate basis. In the near future, the Sheriff¹s Office will have advanced computer aided dispatching technology which will allow the dispatchers to see the location of all road deputies throughout the parish. Tangipahoa Parish Prison Built in 1984, the Tangipahoa Parish Prison can house a maximum capacity of 504 men and 22 women prisoners. A majority of the prisoners held at the jail are parish detainees awaiting court appearances. Trustees of the jail perform janitorial services at the parish courthouse, firing range and handle the cleaning and laundry chores at the prison. In addition, there is a trustee crew that is assigned to the Tangipahoa Parish School Board and another group of trustees periodically works on "litter crews" to keep the parish roads and highways clean. The prison features up-to-date security equipment with the campus surrounded by an eight-foot fence covered with razor wire. All persons entering the facility are subject to search and are not allowed to bring in handbags or other personal items. Prisoner visitation times are held at various times throughout the week. Tangipahoa Parish Reserve Deputies The Tangipahoa Parish Reserve Deputies are volunteers who complete the mandated training at the Reserve Academy. Following successful completion of the Reserve Academy, the Reserve Deputies are allowed to carry a weapon and make arrests. Reserve deputies are used to supplement full-time deputies and are subject to the same rules and regulations as full-time employees of the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff¹s Office. Qualifications Reserves must be at least 21 years of age and have no criminal record. They must successfully pass the Reserve Academy, participate in field training and volunteer at least 25 hours of service each month. For more information on the reserve program, call (985) 345-6150.