Changes

On May 16, 2018, Prator presided over a public meeting to seek consensus on how to curb the rising crime rate in Shreveport. "We've got a lot of crime here. We've got a lot of violence here. And just because the numbers might be up or down a little bit, if you put them all together, this is a dangerous place, at times," Prator said.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://710keel.com/sheriff-steve-prator-says-shreveport-is-a-dangerous-place-at-times/|title=Sheriff Steve Prator says Shreveport is a dangerous place at time|publisher=KEEL Radio|accessdate=May 16, 2018}}</ref>

On May 16, 2018, Prator presided over a public meeting to seek consensus on how to curb the rising crime rate in Shreveport. "We've got a lot of crime here. We've got a lot of violence here. And just because the numbers might be up or down a little bit, if you put them all together, this is a dangerous place, at times," Prator said.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://710keel.com/sheriff-steve-prator-says-shreveport-is-a-dangerous-place-at-times/|title=Sheriff Steve Prator says Shreveport is a dangerous place at time|publisher=KEEL Radio|accessdate=May 16, 2018}}</ref>

In August 2018, Prator again criticized Governor John Bel Edwards' early release of numerous state prisoners under the "Justice Reinvestment Program." According to Prator, several crimes that he considers violent are now classified as non-violent. He also objects to the reduction in penalties for several violent offenses, including "a home invasion with a weapon." What earlier meant a five-year minimum sentence regarding a home invasion, the Edwards changes allow a one-year minimum sentence, followed by the offer of [[probation]] to the offender.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://710keel.com/sheriff-steve-prator-highly-critical-of-prison-reform-efforts/|title=Sheriff Steve Prator highly critical of prison-reform efforts|publisher=KEEL Radio|accessdate=August 22, 2018}}</ref> As the disagreement with Prator escalated, Edwards stopped the pending appointment of Mrs. Prator to the Caddo Parish seat on the Red River Waterway board of commissioners formerly held by the late [[Rogers M. Prestridge]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/opinion/2018/08/16/gov-edwards-plays-politics-denies-caddo-waterway-commission-seat/1008148002/|title=Gov. Edwards plays politics to deny Caddo Parish a waterway commission seat|author=John E. Settle, Jr.|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=August 16, 2018|accessdate=August 30, 2018}}</ref> On August 30, Prator again questioned Edwards' criminal justice policies in an appearance on ''[[Moon Griffon|The Moon Griffon Show]]'', a statewide [[radio]] broadcast.

In August 2018, Prator again criticized Governor John Bel Edwards' early release of numerous state prisoners under the "Justice Reinvestment Program." According to Prator, several crimes that he considers violent are now classified as non-violent. He also objects to the reduction in penalties for several violent offenses, including "a home invasion with a weapon." What earlier meant a five-year minimum sentence regarding a home invasion, the Edwards changes allow a one-year minimum sentence, followed by the offer of [[probation]] to the offender.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://710keel.com/sheriff-steve-prator-highly-critical-of-prison-reform-efforts/|title=Sheriff Steve Prator highly critical of prison-reform efforts|publisher=KEEL Radio|accessdate=August 22, 2018}}</ref>  

 

As the disagreement with Prator escalated, Edwards stopped the pending appointment of Mrs. Prator to a seat on the Red River Waterway board of commissioners formerly held by the late [[Rogers M. Prestridge]] of Shreveport.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/opinion/2018/08/16/gov-edwards-plays-politics-denies-caddo-waterway-commission-seat/1008148002/|title=Gov. Edwards plays politics to deny Caddo Parish a waterway commission seat|author=John E. Settle, Jr.|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=August 16, 2018|accessdate=August 30, 2018}}</ref> On August 30, Prator again questioned Edwards' criminal justice policies in an appearance on ''[[Moon Griffon|The Moon Griffon Show]]'', a statewide [[radio]] broadcast. Instead, Edwards appointed Mike Deville of Rapides Parish to fill the slot. [[U.S. Senator]] [[John Neely Kennedy]] has strongly defended Prator in the dispute with Edwards. Kennedy, a potential Republican opponent to Edwards in 2019, said that he believes Edwards rejected Carolyn Prator's appointment because of the sheriff's earlier criticism of the governor's justice reforms, bipartisan measures that Kennedy himself also opposes. Kennedy cited the [African-American]] Democratic state Senator Gregory Tarver of Shreveport, who was quoted in ''The Baton Rougee Advocate'' as having said that Edwards told him he blocked the nomination of Carolyn Prator because of her husband's opposition to the justice reforms.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/2018/09/13/kennedy-accuses-edwards-vendetta-against-caddo-sheriff/1291981002/|title=Kennedy accuses Edwards of vendetta against Caddo sheriff

==References==

==References==