New Policy Restricts Media's Access To Employees Of Sheriff's Office
by Abbey Brown - The Town Talk (excerpt)

A new policy at the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office states that "no employee of the Sheriff's Office is allowed to speak or give interviews to ANY media," according to an e-mail sent Friday morning to The Town Talk from the department's new director of public affairs.

Heath Crawford, who said he was asked by newly sworn-in Sheriff Chuck Wagner to take the position after working on his campaign, stated in the e-mail that "ALL press goes through my office."

Reached Friday evening, Wagner said the new policy is intended to ensure "we have a consistent message" and that he and others responding to media questions can be better prepared.

"You will have the same access as before," he said Friday, insisting that media still will be able to interview other members of the Sheriff's Office once Crawford's office is contacted.

"Anything that happens, the information is going to come through my office," Crawford said during an interview Friday. "We will issue press releases."