Penrod: Patrol 'eerie' (9/3/05)

Jay County Sheriff Todd Penrod thought he had experienced some trying times following the ice storm that crippled this area in early January. But after a few hours on patrol in the outskirts of storm-damaged New Orleans, Penrod has a new perspective.

“This is a whole lot bigger scale” than what Jay County and the surrounding area dealt with after the Jan. 5 ice storm that brought down power and phone lines and made travel treacherous.

“It's very eerie ... the damage done by the storm and the looting. It's pitch black,” Penrod said during a cell phone call to The Commercial Review at 7:45 p.m. Friday.

Penrod and three of his officers — investigator Patrick Wells and reserves Rick Brinkerhoff and Travis Weaver — began patrolling with local police on the west side of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, about 6 p.m. Friday. The Jay County officers, who are traveling in pairs, serve as back-up for one local officer in the “very highly populated area,” Penrod said. The overnight patrols end at 6 a.m.

“They have a lot more problems at night than during the day,” Penrod said. A “zero tolerance” curfew has been implemented from “sundown to sun up,” and “You cannot be out on the streets,” Penrod said. Those violating the curfew will be arrested and taken to jail.

The officers also are escorting stranded people to staging areas, where efforts are made to evacuate them from the devastated area.

“The only people who are still here are the ones causing the problems,” Penrod said. “It's very empty. It looks like a ghost town.”

Officers from several police departments around the nation responded to the call for help from law enforcement agencies in Mississippi and Louisiana. Members of several National Guard units also have arrived in and around New Orleans. Several power companies also are heading into the area to begin the huge task of restoring power to the area pummeled by Hurricane Katrina earlier this week.

“Hopefully, it will be a lot more peaceful here real soon,” he said.

The Jefferson Parish sheriff is “very appreciative of all the help and support” being offered, he said. “He's looking at taking the city back” from looters and other offenders, Penrod said.

He's so grateful, Penrod added, “We have a standing invitation to come back (for a visit) after they get everything straight.”

The four local officers left Thursday and arrived at their Louisiana destination by mid-morning Friday. Securing fuel as they made the 900-mile trip south was a challenge. But they received assistance from fellow officers along the way.

Penrod expects they will be back in Jay County by Friday evening. But he added, “I hope we don't have any problems with gasoline going home.”[[In-content Ad]]