Bossier Sheriff Julian Whittington and staff hosted a Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner recently to honor the men and women volunteers serving on the Bossier Sheriff’s Office Posse.

The dinner was held Nov. 9th at the Viking Drive substation for the more than 200 volunteers serving on the Posse. These men and women serve in many different capacities in the parish, helping with deputies on patrol to checking on folks on vacation.

What began in 1995 as a solicitation from the Bossier Sheriff’s office asking for male volunteers, at least 50 years of age to be members of the newly formed Sheriff’s Posse has grown into a robust volunteer operation with both men and women that has impacted Bossier Parish is a tremendous way. Seventy-two men answered the call that day, and hundreds others have volunteered their time to ride on the Posse, a program that Sheriff Julian Whittington played a key role in developing more than two decades ago.

Today, members of the Posse conduct vacation watch house checks for people on vacation; coordinate Operation Blessing, the parish food bank program; serve on the Funeral Escort Team; conduct emergency callouts; and help Patrol with traffic and crowd control. They also help deliver toys with the annual “Operation Christmas Wish” toy program and deliver Christmas food boxes for the “Spirit of Christmas” food program. Ladies’ Auxiliary volunteers also serve with Operation Blessing; serve at the Bossier Parish Courthouse entrance by providing information to guests; and each week, they call shut-ins living in the parish.

“Bossier Parish is truly blessed to have such an outstanding team of volunteers with the Posse who are committed to serving and protecting our residents,” said BSO Chief Deputy Duane Huddleston.

If you are interested in joining the Bossier Sheriff’s Office Posse, call the Viking Drive Substation at (318) 965-3500.