By Monique Roth
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — A fatal shooting last week in St. John the Baptist Parish Housing Authority’s LaPlace community has the authority’s staff working intensely to ensure residents’ safety.

Milton Clofer Jr. was shot dead in the LaPlace public housing complex June 11, marking St. John Parish’s third homicide this year.

Authorities said Clofer’s last known address is Sleepy Redwood Drive, which is not located in the LaPlace housing complex.

SJBPHA Executive Director Trina Henderson said although the crime occurred on Housing Authority property, the victim had no known ties to the property and there is no indication the shooter was a Housing Authority resident.

“Nothing is more important than the safety and security of St. John Housing Authority’s residents and employees,” Henderson wrote in a statement to L’Observateur. “Security is a cornerstone of a community’s health and stability, and providing for the safety of those under its care is the first priority of the authority.”

Henderson said the agency is doing everything it can to ramp up security at the four public housing complexes in the parish.

Installation of additional security cameras around the complexes began at the beginning of the year and should be completed by the end of this month, Henderson said. The cameras are installed at strategic locations throughout the developments, including the entrance point where all cars entering and exiting the complexes can be reviewed.

Additionally, vehicle identification stickers for household members with registered vehicles have already been ordered and will easily identify the resident’s cars. She said the stickers will help personnel determine which cars don’t belong in the complex, and vehicles deemed abandoned will be towed.

“It’s unfortunate that a majority of the problems in public housing are caused by people who do not live there,” St. John Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre said.

Other increased security measures include “more visible” patrols by St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office authorities, Henderson said.

Tregre said he has an officer specifically assigned to assist housing with enforcing housing rules and regulations.

Residents’ concerns and fears were addressed at three resident meetings this week on site in LaPlace, Garyville and Edgard in which representatives from the Sheriff’s Office were on hand to answer questions and encourage residents to phone in tips to the Sheriff’s Office. Henderson said Reserve residents were encouraged to attend a meeting at another site, explaining the Reserve community did not have a common area for residents to meet in.

“Residents are starting to provide tips to the Sheriff’s Office, which is leading to weapons and drug arrests,” Tregre said.

Henderson said the Housing Authority and the Sheriff’s Office have worked together to diligently investigate resident complaints, counsel residents and execute terminations against lease violators, and as a result 11 families have been evicted this year for subleasing, unauthorized live-ins and criminal and/or drug related activity. Henderson said an additional five families are currently in the eviction process.

She said after residents had been warned about lease violations and after repeated issues and complaints, the authority had “no other choice but to move toward eviction.”

Making needed repairs to breaches in fences surrounding the communities and employing stronger enforcement of persons barred from the Housing Authority properties are additional steps the SJBPHA is taking to foster resident safety.

All detailed efforts, Henderson said, will hopefully ensure residents feel safe walking out their doors and watching their children play in their yards.

“They’re families just like in any other community,” Henderson said. “They deserve to be safe.”