Re-Elect Sheriff Lafayette Woods, Jr.

 

I would like to welcome you to the official website for the Campaign to Re-Elect Sheriff Lafayette Woods, Jr.  Thank you for taking the time to visit my site and your desire to learn more about Sheriff Woods’ re-election campaign for the Office of Sheriff. 

It has been almost four years since the great citizens of Jefferson County conferred upon me the greatest honor of my life, electing the 32nd Jefferson County sheriff.  The first term has been full of tremendous hard work, successes and many changes; but not without some significant challenges including a record flood, snow storms and now the COVID-19 global pandemic. However, the wins we have enjoyed have been birthed by the dedication of personnel combined with the strong, unmatched support that our community has given us over the past years.

When I announced my initial candidacy for sheriff in 2018, I said that it was my belief that the fundamental purpose of the sheriff’s office was to provide citizens with a commitment in rendering public safety services through ethical conduct and compassion. That belief still holds true to my heart as I proudly announce my intent to seek re-election in the upcoming 2022 election cycle.  I have served in the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office for over 17 ½ years, beginning my career as a deputy sheriff assigned to the Uniformed Patrol Division. Having served under the leadership of two former sheriffs’, whose foundations I built upon in an effort to meet the ever so changing demands of today, I feel that my longevity is an asset.    

During my first term, a focus on improving law enforcement-community partnerships, pursuit of best policies and practices that ensure transparency and accountability, and adopting emerging departmental technology improvements were some of my biggest goals. 

I have worked side-by-side with my staff to achieve excellence in many areas. Even during the difficult times that 2021 brought, our office was able to complete the following improvements and accomplishments:

• Enrollment acceptance into the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) Accreditation process, a four-decade old credentialing authority whose primary mission is to accredit public safety agencies that have demonstrated compliance with CALEA Standards and have been awarded CALEA Accreditation by the Commission.
• Establishment of a committee to form the foundational structure of Jefferson County Sheriff's Office first 501©3 non-profit foundation (Jefferson County Sheriff's Foundation, Inc.). The purpose of the foundation aims to innovatively expand, enhance and sustain our delivery of public safety services to the citizens of Jefferson County by providing financial support beyond the scope of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office's normal operating budget in areas such as specialized equipment and technology, professional development of deputies and staff and scholarship opportunities for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office employees and their children.
• $15,000.00 Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts Security and Emergency Preparedness court security grant award recipient, who used funds to enhance court security through the purchase of two (2) Cellsense Plus Contraband Detection Systems to detect and prevent prohibited items from being introduced inside the courthouse.
• Acquisition and installation of Guardian RFID--- an advanced cloud-based business and artificial intelligence technology used as a personnel management tool as well as jail detainee tracking, cell checking, security checking and record keeping tool to also help optimize staff performance and manage detainees more effectively. Through the same partnership, we were also able to acquire the Justice Bridge program, a teleconferencing system installed in each prison in Arkansas and now in the sheriff's office, jail and circuit court room in Jefferson County to connect detainees and the county judicial system that not only helps defray costs associated with jail detainee transportation at no cost to taxpayers, but also help reduce risks involved in transporting jail detainees to court.
• 100% completion of jail standards inspections at both the state and federal level for the W.C. "Dub" Brassell Adult Detention Center (DBDC) and Jack Jones Juvenile Justice Center.
• Introduction of the first Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-Based Program (COAP) inside the W.C. "Dub" Brassell Adult Detention Center. The program is aimed to aid in reducing the stigma associated with detainees suffering from substance abuse disorders through law enforcement and community educational efforts, increased awareness about opioid crises and strategies by peer recovery support specialists. To date, the program has graduated two classes. 
• Introduction of Gang Reduction Initiative of Pine Bluff (G.R.I.P.), a collaborative anti-gang reduction initiative that utilizes the federal Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention's (OJJDP) evidence-based Comprehensive Gang Model (CGM) to guide its three-prong approach of intervention, prevention and suppression in order to significantly reduce the increase of gang crime and combat the uptick in violence in the community.
• Since taking office in 2019, our Criminal Investigations Division has been able to increase the number of criminal cases cleared by 37.87%. Cleared cases are mostly as a result of an investigation being conducted and a suspect being identified, arrested, and charges being filed. Under my administration, we were able to raise the average cases cleared from 483.8 to 667 per year. In the first (9) nine months of 2021, through September, the cleared cases are at 586, which is higher than (4) four of the last (5) five of my predecessor. Additionally, in 2020 while facing a global pandemic, our investigators broke a (6) six-year record, at 754 cases cleared. Much of this was accomplished with a fewer number of investigators compared to in the past.

  
  

As I near the end of my first 4-year term, I look forward to the next four years with great anticipation.  Although much has been accomplished, we still have more to do. If re-elected, I will endeavor to do my duty, treating everyone fairly, showing favors to none and enforcing the law to the best of my abilities while seeking the advice and assistance of all-law abiding citizens and realizing at all times that I am a public servant. I will work hard to protect families, property and constitutional rights while providing the most professional, effective and efficient law enforcement services possible in the years ahead.  I am eternally grateful for the honor and privilege to serve as sheriff and ask for continued support in the upcoming 2022 election cycle. 

- Sheriff Lafayette Woods, Jr.