Sheriff Jack A. Stephens

Sheriff Jack A. Stephens of St. Bernard Parish took office in 1984 after his first election the previous year and was sworn in July 1, 2008, for his 7th-term - making him the second-longest serving current sheriff in the state. On Aug. 1, 2008, the sheriff was inducted into the Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame in recognition of his leadership in St. Bernard.

Sheriff Stephens has enjoyed the reputation of serving the community with the lowest crime rate in southeast Louisiana.

The sheriff, who before his first election to public office previously was Chief Administrative Officer of St. Bernard Parish and director of its Planning Commission, is a life-long parish resident. He was born in the fishing community of Shell Beach, where he still lives.

The sheriff was graduated from St. Bernard High School in 1966, earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Loyola University, attended Loyola Law School and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Syracuse University.

He is also a graduate of the FBI National Training Academy.

A list if some of the things Sheriff Stephens has accomplished in 25 years in office include:

• Brought  professionalism to a suburban Sheriff’s Office

• Started up a network of sheriff’s sub-stations at all parish lines to help protect St. Bernard’s borders

• Built a modern parish prison and juvenile detention center to have room for offenders rather than releasing them

• Established an Internal Affairs Division

• Started the first holiday ride home program in the New Orleans area to help prevent drinking-and-driving

• Tripled the number of law enforcement personnel in his department

• Created the Neighborhood Watch program to fight crime and Citizens Police Academy to teach residents basic operational procedures of the Sheriff’s Office and court system

• Established dope and traffic hotlines to battle drug-dealers and traffic violators

• Opened a 24-hour shelter for victims of domestic violence

• Established the Sheriff’s Office as an active member of the nonprofit group Crimestoppers to give incentives for people to report leads in unsolved crimes

• Led the effort to establish a statewide prescription drug monitoring program that went into effect in 2009 in an attempt to prevent overdose deaths caused by sales of such drugs for non-medical purposes. He is also a member of the monitoring program’s Advisory Council for the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy.

• Oversaw the largest seizure ever of illegal drugs in St. Bernard in 1991, more than two tons of cocaine valued at $1 billion

Sheriff Stephens is also a member of the Louisiana Sheriff’s Association, member of the National Sheriff’s Association, chairman of the St. Bernard Parish Home Mortgage Authority, member of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, member of the Louiaiana Peace Officers Association, member of the Louisiana Chamber of Commerce,  member of the state Commission on Law Enforcement, member of the Metropolitan Law enforcement Council; member of the Leukemia Society, the Louisiana juvenile Diabetes Association, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, Ourl Lady of Lourdes Carnival Club, the United Way, the Meraux Foundation and rhe St. Bernard Society for Crippled Children and Adults.

Under his leadership the Sheriff’s Office, along with St. Bernard Parish government, will be remembered for leading the rescue and recovery efforts in their totally devastated parish after the winds and floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina.