NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)— The fateful election night 3 months ago brought change to one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the region at the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and while Sheriff-elect Susan Hutson waits to take office in a few weeks, she says transition help from outgoing Sheriff Marlon Gusman has been spotty.
According to Hutson, “Some cooperation and some lack of cooperation. I haven’t gotten a tour since I’ve won, and I haven’t been in the jail since I won, and he’s not allowed that.”
The sheriff-elect’s desire is for her transition team to also tour the jail facility in other that they hit the ground running, when the takeover happens.
“At 12:01 midnight or right after midnight on the 2nd, walking in collecting all the keys, going and meeting all my team,” said Hutson.
That team includes the hundreds of deputies employed by the office, some of whom were helpful in getting Hutson elected, “I got an ear full from the people who work there and the people who used to work there and said these are all the things we need to look at and the people who work there became an integral part of our campaign.”
Hutson’s job in the city had been independent police monitor, having also served in law enforcement in Los Angeles, and she has definite ideas about what to do with the jail here.
Another big concern for Hutson is jail population that should not be there.
“Right now in the jail there’s probably between 100 and have already been convicted and need to go to the state, and I’m not sure why that highway is broken, but I need to figure that out,” said Hutson.
In the end, Hutson hopes to connect to the residents in what she calls a participatory democracy, “I’ve learned so much about this community in the 12 years that I’ve been here and I know one thing you can’t beat ’em. They have the answers and if you just listen, we’re gonna be able to do this together.”