Vermilion Parish Sheriff, mayors sign agreement for funding of drug task force

Vermilion Parish has united in the fight against illegal drugs.
Mayors from around Vermilion Parish gathered Tuesday morning at Vermilion Parish Sheriff Mike Couvillon’s office to sign documents for the new Vermilion/Municipal Task Force.
The City of Abbeville, Town of Erath, City of Kaplan, Town of Gueydan and Village of Maurice are taking part. Each municipality is contributing funds for the task force.
“This is something that is good for the whole parish,” Couvillon said. “Whether drugs come into Kaplan or Maurice, or whatever city they come in, they end up throughout the parish.
“This allows us to all be in the same fight.”
Kaplan Mayor Kirk Champagne agreed.
“We are all in this together,” Champagne said. “We definitely feel honored to be a part of it. I know the sheriff is going to do this right.
“This is a united force.”
The task force has operated successfully since Couvillon became sheriff in 2004. The unit has made hundreds of arrests and seizures. Police departments in the parish had provided personnel to take part in the operation in the past. This marks the first time that each of the municipalities will be contributing financially.
The task force will continue to operate under Couvillon. Capt. Drew David runs the day-to-day operation of the task force.
Abbeville is putting up $35,000. Kaplan is contributing $22,000, with Erath, Gueydan and Maurice each adding $15,000. Those funds will be combined to help supplement what the sheriff’s office already puts toward the task force.
Maurice Mayor Wayne Theriot said this strengthens not only the parish, but the village as well.
“We are very appreciative of what the task force does,” Theriot said. “We look forward to participating with them. It is a parish-wide issue. If we can all ban together, we can overcome this problems that we have. It is well worth our participation.
“This really is an auxiliary for our police force when they come into the village.”
Erath Mayor John Earl LeBlanc said the positives are certainly there.
“This is a plus for Erath and all of Vermilion Parish,” he said. “We can clean up what is a big problem.
“If you clean up drug problems, that can help with a lot of other things.”