In the wake of the police-involved shootings in Baton Rouge, Minnesota and police murders in Dallas, Calcasieu Sheriff Tony Mancuso and Mayor Randy Roach are calling for people in our parish to remain calm.  This has been an extremely stressful week in America.  Tensions and emotions are high.

Now more than ever threats and rumors are running rampant on social media.  Sheriff Mancuso says citizens should use caution while on social media adding, “We have not been able to corroborate any of these threats and rumors posted on social media,” he continued, “We will continue to check out each and every threat. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the Sheriff’s Office at 491-3605. Our Criminal Intelligence Unit is working around the clock monitoring and analyzing these threats and rumors.”

Sheriff Mancuso wants to assure the citizens in our parish that his department is going to continue to protect and serve.  He said, "We took an oath to keep our community safe and that’s what we intend to do,” Mancuso continued. “Are we concerned? Yes! Are we on high alert? Yes! Are we sad? Absolutely! But we are going to hold our heads up and do our job.”

The Sheriff’s Office has also received overwhelming support and to that he said, “I am truly humbled by the phone calls and people stopping by to offer their support. Calcasieu Parish is a great place to live. It is comforting for the deputies to know they are strongly supported by their community.”

Mayor Randy Roach said of the recent tragedies, “This has been a week of tragedies for our state and our nation. Families are grieving the loss of loved ones and images of shootings have dominated the media. As a city and as a nation we must not allow our grief to be the cause of more suffering and pain.”

Lake Charles Mayor Randy Roach also reiterated Gov. John Bel Edwards’ call to “keep the conversation constructive,” to resist the temptation to allow grief and frustration turn into hate. The Mayor urged residents to make today a day of prayer for the victims, their families, self reflection, our state and nation.

Mayor Roach said, “Regardless of whether we actively worship on Sunday or observe it as a day of rest, we should each use this time to look beyond ourselves and seek ways in which we can be a part of the healing process,” Channeling Gandhi he said, "If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him…We need not wait to see what others do.”

AN EYE FOR AN EYE, ONLY LEAVES PEOPLE BLIND.  LET'S LEARN TO ACCEPT ONE ANOTHER AND EMBRACE OUR DIFFERENCES.

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