By ROBIN SHANNON

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – The Holiday shopping season is here, and St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s deputies will be out in full force to make sure anyone shopping in the parish has a pleasant shopping experience.

“We just wanted to inform the public that there will be in increase in deputies patrolling heavy shopping areas,” said Sheriff Wayne Jones. “We want to let them know they can feel safe.”

Jones said the Sheriff’s Office has set up mobile command centers in the Wal-Mart and Home Depot shopping centers to make it easier for deputies to monitor the busier shopping hubs.

“This is something we implemented last year with great success,” said Jones. “Throughout the entire season last year, we had one incident involving a purse snatching, and the suspect was arrested on the spot.”

Jones said his office wanted to alert the public that extra units would be out on the streets with top lights on, and about 15 extra officers would be on hand at all times. There will also be a few plainclothes officers monitoring stores from the inside.

“We don’t want people to be alarmed by the excess of flashing lights,” said Jones. “We don’t want to deter them from shopping at a store with extra cars out front, we just want to let them know they will be safe.”

Jones said the Sheriff’s office would also be using a new piece of equipment, purchased last year, to take photos and videotape of the Wal-Mart parking lot.

“We call it our ‘eye in the sky,’” said Jones. “The device is elevated 30 feet in the air, and has 360 degree range. It takes still photos, and can save video for up to 72 hours. It catches the things we may not see on the ground.”

Jones understands most residents can only do their shopping in the evening, and believes the extra security will make people feel safer.

“We just want to encourage folks to shop locally and feel comfortable doing it,” said Jones. “We have not had excessive issues in the past, and we want to keep it that way.”

Jones said the extra patrols began Friday at 6 p.m. They will continue throughout the shopping season, and slack off around the last week of December.