Along with crime, local police agencies will also grapple with reduced budgets this year.

As they outlined their goals for 2018, some law enforcement officials say they’re feeling the ripple effects of the oil and gas bust that has decimated the local economy over the past three years.

Terrebonne Sheriff Jerry Larpenter was forced to close the year-old women’s jail on Jan. 19 due to budget shortfalls.

The former juvenile detention center at 3181 Grand Caillou Road in Ashland was refurbished to accommodate 120 female inmates and alleviate crowding at the main jail.

However, as local sales tax revenues dried up, the parish closed the building and transported 70 female inmates back to the main jail at 3211 Grand Caillou Road, Larpenter said.

“It’s an economics move,” Larpenter said. “The economy’s really bad. All the government entities that collect sales taxes are hurting. Our sales taxes are down tremendously over the last two years. I’m not going to have 25 guards watch 70 female prisoners. My office has taken a tremendous hit with sales taxes. I’m over $4 million down a year for the last two years.”

Other economic factors contributed to the jail closure such as a lower state prison population resulting from recent criminal justice reform measures, the sheriff said.

“We’ve got so many beds available now in the jail because Department of Corrections prisoners are down,” Larpenter said.

Among Larpenter's goals this year is exploring options to use the facility to house federal prisoners in hopes to generate much-needed revenue. He also wants to get in the schools to educate students about the harmful effects of drug abuse.

Meanwhile in Lafourche Parish, Sheriff Craig Webre is hoping 2018 will see the opening of the new Lafourche Parish jail despite the economic climate. The 127,000-square-foot facility at La. 3185 and Veterans Boulevard in Thibodaux will be able to accommodate up to 600 inmates.

“This has been a dream in the making now for four years,” Webre said. “With that comes the opportunity for us to fully invest and implement the prisoner reentry initiatives and evidence-based practices.”

The new facility will allow jail staff to approach corrections from a different perspective and work toward better outcomes, Webre said. The staff will operate a direct-supervision facility where officers will interact and work with inmates.

“The research has shown that is a much more effective model that reduces assaults on guards and inmates and has a better outcome for behavior management,” Webre said. “It will offer us a once in a lifetime opportunity to affect the future of corrections and quality of life for the citizens we serve for the next century.”

Like his Terrebonne counterpart, Webre said he is also facing economic crunches spawned by the oil bust. He said the new jail will not be immune from the pinch.

“We’re looking at probably a 10-perent reduction in revenues for this fiscal year,” Webre said. “So our staff and I are having to adjust and maintain all expenditures so we can stay fiscally responsible during the downturn.”

The slow economy is making it challenging for local law enforcement to battle the opioid epidemic, which struck Terrebonne Parish with a vengeance. In 2017, 53 people lost their lives to drug overdoses, far eclipsing the number of homicides in Houma.

“In 2015 we had seven homicides,” said Houma Police Chief Dana Coleman. “In 2016 we had five, but in 2017 we only had one homicide. We reduced our homicides by being proactive in the streets and through programs that have been very effective.”

Coleman said one of his main goals in 2018 is to fight the opioid crisis through educational means.

“We are trying different avenues to deal with the opioid epidemic that’s going on,” the police chief said. “We’re combating this epidemic by enforcement, but we’re also trying to get awareness out via education. We’re looking to get into the schools and talk to kids about the effects of opioids and how addictive they are.”

Education is also an avenue the State Police’s Troop C is pursuing this year to reduce fatalities and DWIs. In 2017 Troop C handled 802 DWI arrests and 48 fatal crashes that resulted in 58 deaths.

“Our goal for 2018 is to continue to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Louisiana and visitors by preventing loss of life, injuries and property damage, which occur on our highways as the result of motor vehicle crashes,” said Trooper First Class Jesse LaGrange. “We plan on doing that through education and enforcement efforts.”

Troop C recently added four new troopers to its ranks from the State Police’s most recent graduating class and another seven new troopers are anticipated to graduate in March, LaGrange said.

“We will continue to conduct daytime and nighttime checkpoints for seat belt use and impaired drivers, and we will be in our schools and at community events providing educational information on how the public can do their part in keeping our highways safe,” LaGrange said. “We are also very appreciative for our federal and local law enforcement partnerships and we look forward to another year working with them.”

Thibodaux Police Chief Bryan Zeringue said his department made much-needed improvements last year to its communications room and field technology like computers, radios and units. He hopes this new technology will make officers’ jobs a little easier this year.

“We also revised our policy and procedure to fit the best practices for modern policing,” Zeringue said. “In 2018, we want to continue moving forward in adapting the best practices with the best technology to provide the highest level of community service to our community partners.”

--Staff Writer Dan Copp can be reached at 857-2202 or at dan.copp@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter@DanVCopp.