Wesley Harris
During his first Chat with the Chief meeting with the community on Monday night, Ruston Police Chief Eric Watson answered a lot of questions from the public and shared some of his goals for the department.
The gathering in the chapel of King’s Funeral Home is the first of many planned casual conversations with the incoming chief that will focus on open communication and community involvement.
Host Carolyn Cage, who works on the staff at King’s and is a member of the Ruston City Council, introduced Watson.
In a succinct introductory remark, Watson described his upbringing as a small-town guy from Arcadia who went to Simsboro School, Cedar Creek, and Louisiana Tech. He spent a number of years as an RPD patrol officer before spending 25 years with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
When the chief’s position became available, Watson expressed a strong desire to return to Ruston because he and his wife of 32 years had enjoyed living there in the 1990s.
He went on to discuss a number of subjects, such as his goals for the Ruston Police Department, his intention to significantly expand the use of technology by the department in the battle against crime, and the difficulties in adequately staffing the department with qualified officers.
After the presentation, Watson took questions from the public, who asked him about anything from an unsolved murder case to the department’s treatment of mentally ill people to complaints about speeders on particular routes.
Seeing
According to Watson, he anticipates proactive work from RPD officers who engage with the public in a constructive manner.
While I’m here, I want this police department to look a little different, and I’ve informed the boys about it,” Watson said. And that’s no longer a slight on the police force. However, law enforcement should always be a professional organization, in my opinion. In doing so, we should present ourselves professionally and interact with the public in a professional manner. Additionally, I believe that the number of persons reporting a negative encounter will decline if there are enough people reporting a favorable encounter.
“We’re not a police department that’s going to sit in a parking lot looking at Netflix all night,” was one of the first things I told the guys when I started working here. That department is not us. He talked about how officers treat the public with respect and are aggressive in their pursuit for illegal behavior.
Technology
Watson stated that in order to obtain significant funding for new enforcement equipment, he and Mayor Ronny Walker are collaborating with federal representatives. Watson stated that although it will be costly, there are signs that federal financing is likely to be available.
Better body-worn and in-car video cameras, license plate readers, and surveillance cameras placed in key areas that dispatchers can see while receiving difficulty calls are also part of Watson’s proposal. Watson sees a city hall technology center where employees may keep an eye on current events virtually instantly before police officers get on the spot.
Watson claimed to adore cameras worn on the body. He added, “I’m telling you now, it saves my officers on complaints.” I immediately go in, turn on the computer, and check the video so I can see everything that happened if I have a complaint over something that occurred during a traffic stop. It’s surprising how many people decide against filing the complaint.
He pointed out that rather than proving wrongdoing, those recordings typically exonerate officers.
Personnel
According to Watson, one of the challenges facing the department is the need for additional staff, yet it’s challenging to locate highly qualified candidates.
According to Watson, we are now making a lot of effort to hire staff. We had roughly 40 police officers in 1998 when I left the department, so this is a little embarrassing. I currently have thirty-two on the streets of Ruston. “There aren’t many officers working at any given time if you divide that by four shifts,” he said.
Mayor Walker interrupted, Because it’s public safety, the police and fire agencies are the only ones who can hire until I instruct them to stop. I can assure you that everyone in this room wants public safety to be the top priority on my list.
The chief went on to say that more money is required for training in addition to manning.
Queries
Watson received almost two dozen questions when he encouraged public discussion. A woman inquired about a homicide case’s current state. According to Watson, the suspect has not been charged despite the RPD having made an arrest. Many voiced their complaints about speeders and other traffic-related problems. Watson admitted that the agency uses a court-funded overtime program for officers to enforce traffic laws on days when they are not working their usual shifts and that he receives similar calls regarding traffic every week.
The difficulty of having few options for efficiently dealing with the mentally ill was the subject of a long discussion. Watson stated that this problem is as frustrating for police as it is for the general public.
The existence of gangs and human trafficking in the region became the subject of additional inquiries.
Watson appealed for the public’s assistance in the fight against crime, pointing out that RPD did not receive a single phone call with information on a homicide that occurred on Easter Sunday in front of roughly 100 people. Additionally, he urged patience as the police force changes.
Watson said, “I want you to know we’re going to make mistakes.” You know that mistakes are inevitable whenever someone tries to improve something. When we look back, we’ll think, “Well, I probably shouldn’t have done it that way.” This is definitely the best approach for me to do it.
I advised the mayor to return in March of next year. I will have worked here and observed this police department for a year in March. Additionally, I believe that everyone will experience some improvements.
Mayor Walker and Watson expressed gratitude to everyone in attendance for their participation and input. Both emphasized continued openness to public feedback as well as the significance of respect and cooperation for future community safety.
By contacting the chief’s secretary at 318-255-4141, Watson can arrange a meeting with the chief of any organization.
