‘Love’ being shown to law enforcement

The Savoy family brought a cake to the Abbeville Police Department Tuesday afternoon, a cake decorated with a simple message.
“We Love You.”
In the wake of the tragic shooting death of three officers in Baton Rouge that hit so close to home, as well as officers killed in Dallas and other areas, support for law enforcement is pulsating through communities, including Abbeville.
“The response has been so great,” Abbeville Police Chief Tony Hardy said. “I am not saying people didn’t show that support before, but the difference now is overwhelming. There has been a bunch of people calling, wanting to do this and that for us. People are bringing food. Some are stopping by just to say thank you.
“It has all meant a lot to us.”
Members of the Abbeville City Council expressed their support during Tuesday’s council meeting.
“We give them our total, 100-percent support in their efforts to protect our community,” Councilman-at-Large Francis Plaisance said. “Thank you, guys. We appreciate it.”
Councilman Francis Touchet Jr. said that support will include whatever it takes to keep the officers safe.
“What’s been on my mind is the safety of you and your officers,” Touchet told Hardy during the meeting. “I would hope something like this would never come to pass here, but we never thought this would happen right there in Baton Rouge. If you need something from us, and we have to do something to protect you guys, you need to bring it to us and we need to take care of it.
“You have to protect the families here, and we need you to do it at your full capacity.”
Hardy said he will certainly do so, should a specific need arise.
The chief told the council he has met with his department on how to handle situations that could come up in this climate.
“We have had several meetings and are making sure that everyone is wearing their body armor,” Hardy said during the meeting. “I told them not to go out and be a hero, to turn something small into a major call.
“What’s happening around the world, we don’t want that here.”
Touchet also asked the chief how patrolmen are backed up. Hardy said a supervisor is always called for back up. Some departments around the state and country, albeit ones in larger cities, are going to two-man patrol units. Hardy said Wednesday morning that, while a good idea, it is not one that is feasible for Abbeville.
“We don’t have enough people,” Hardy said. “When we are at full strength, we are rolling with six on patrol at a time. That would be just three units on the road. The calls would get too backed up.”
Should something occur, geography favors response time.
“Backup is a couple of minutes away,” Hardy said.
Baton Rouge is little more than an hour away. Hardy said he has reached out to the city’s beleaguered department.
“We are going to be sending some people to help them,” Hardy said of a move several agencies are taking to help relieve some of the officers in Baton Rouge who have pushed overtime to its limits. “I am not sure how many we will be able to send, but every little bit helps.”
Many believe prayer helps. With that in mind, Harvest Time Church in Abbeville will be holding a “Prayer Service” on Tuesday, Aug. 16 at 6:30 p.m.
“We are asking and inviting all of our State Troopers, Policemen, Firemen, Deputies, Marshalls, Mayor and City Councilmen and Judges and anyone affiliated in the local government of Vermilion Parish to attend this special night of prayer,” Harvest Time Pastor Steve Delino said in a letter to officals. “We are thanking God for you and for your service continuing to believe God for your protection as you serve this community putting your life on the line for all of us.”
The public is invited to attend.
“We are asking others (priest and ministers) in the parish from all walks of faith to attend as well,” Delino said. We have set aside Tuesday night, Aug. 16, 2016, to come together as one body, one voice and call upon God to keep his hand upon us and protect you from all this evil that is going on these days.
“We all together want to display to communities near and abroad what unity in prayer can accomplish.”