It’s a popular notion that the high sheriff of each parish is one of the most powerful elected officials in the state of Louisiana. Unlike school districts, parishes, and towns/cites in the state, the sheriff can spend his office money WITHOUT any approval from an elected body.
A public records request sent to the Caddo Parish Sheriff public records portal on November 17 has yet to be answered. An administrative clerk in the sheriffs’ office did acknowledge receipt of the request on November 19.
A follow up email was sent requesting the information on November 28 and on December 2. To date, crickets.
Many items listed in the public records request dealt with the Sheriff Whitehorn’s Christmas list presented to the Caddo Commission to fund the purchase, renovation, equipping, and move into his proposed auto mall complex purchase. Many of these questions are somewhat moot now that the Commission has voted to only fund a maximum of $2.5 million to the Sheriff to relocate/renovate the North Market facility.
However, two of the requests are still relevant and very important:
1. What was the total amount of the surplus funds controlled by the Caddo Parish Sheriff on the day Whitehorn was sworn into office—July 1, 2025.
2. What is the total amount of these funds on the date of response.
At a meeting of the Caddo Commission Long Range Planning Committee on Monday, Parish Administrator Erica Bryant was asked about the Sheriffs’ surplus funds. She advised that she had no direct knowledge, but that she believed $80 million was the approximate amount.
This information is important to the general public, and it is within the scope of the Louisiana Public Records Act. Litigation can be filed to require the Sheriff to provide this information. Hopefully this will not be necessary, although this author has successfully filed public records suits in past years.
So, why is the Sheriff not releasing this information? How much of the reserve funds have been expanded since July 1 of last year and what is the current amount?
John came to Shreveport in January of 1977 when he was transferred to Barksdale AFB.
He’s been active in Shreveport politics since deciding to make Shreveport his home.
John practiced law for 40 years and he now monitors local politics. He regularly attends Shreveport City Council and Caddo Parish Commission meetings.
John is published weekly in The Inquisitor, bi-monthly in The Forum News, and frequently in the Shreveport Times.
He enjoys addressing civic groups on local government issues and elections.