Changes

| birth_date=March 3, 1949​

| birth_date=March 3, 1949​

| birth_place=Place of birth missing​

| birth_place=Place of birth missing​

| residence=Sibley, Webster Parish​

| residence=Sibley, Webster Parish​

| alma_mater=[[Louisiana Tech University]]​

| alma_mater=[[Louisiana Tech University]]​

Riser is one of three principals in the Louisiana Law Hunting Club, Inc., which was established in 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bizapedia.com/la/LA-LAW-HUNTING-CLUB-INC.html|title=Louisiana Law Hunting Club, Inc.|publisher=bizapedia.com|accessdate=September 18, 2014}}</ref>​

Riser is one of three principals in the Louisiana Law Hunting Club, Inc., which was established in 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bizapedia.com/la/LA-LAW-HUNTING-CLUB-INC.html|title=Louisiana Law Hunting Club, Inc.|publisher=bizapedia.com|accessdate=September 18, 2014}}</ref>​

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==Political life==​

==Political life==

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Riser resigned after twenty-one years with the state police to run for sheriff. He based much of his campaign on the restructuring of the parish jail and penal farm to halt recurring jailbreaks. He also focused on crimes against elderly citizens and a sound law-enforcement agenda to encourage the location of business and industry into Webster Parish.<ref name=riserrunsforsheriff>"Riser resigns to seek office of sheriff", ''Minden Press-Herald'', July 7, 1995, pp. 1, 3.</ref>On October 21, 1995, he won the two-candidate [[primary]] election to succeed the retiring Sheriff Royce L. McMahen, a Democrat and a [[veterinarian]] from Springhill in northern Webster Parish near the [[Arkansas]] border. He defeated fellow Democrat and McMahen's chief deputy, Thomas Dale "Tommy" Kemp, Sr. (born August 1941), known as "The Singing Deputy" because of his talent in [[gospel music|gospel]] and country music..<ref>"Singing deputy will entertain at banquet", ''Minden Press-Herald'', January 24, 1975, p. 1</ref> Riser polled 7,935 votes (53.7 percent) to Kemp's 6,848 (46.3 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10211995/10211995_60.html|title=Results for Election Date: 10/21/1995 Webster Parish|publisher=[[Louisiana Secretary of State]]|accessdate=September 18, 2014}}</ref><ref>''Minden Press-Herald, October 23, 1995, p. 1.</ref> The sheriff collects [[property tax]]es, enforces criminal law in the parish outside of the  municipalities, and with his staff of deputies is recognized as the most powerful political officer in the parish.​

​Riser resigned after twenty-one years with the state police to run for sheriff. He based much of his campaign on the restructuring of the parish jail and penal farm to halt recurring jailbreaks. He also focused on crimes against elderly citizens and a sound law-enforcement agenda to encourage the location of business and industry into Webster Parish.<ref name=riserrunsforsheriff>"Riser resigns to seek office of sheriff", ''Minden Press-Herald'', July 7, 1995, pp. 1, 3.</ref>On October 21, 1995, he won the two-candidate [[primary]] election to succeed the retiring Sheriff Royce L. McMahen, a Democrat and a [[veterinarian]] from Springhill in northern Webster Parish near the [[Arkansas]] border. He defeated fellow Democrat and McMahen's chief deputy, Thomas Dale "Tommy" Kemp, Sr. (born August 1941), known as "The Singing Deputy" because of his talent in [[gospel music|gospel]] and country music..<ref>"Singing deputy will entertain at banquet", ''Minden Press-Herald'', January 24, 1975, p. 1</ref> Riser polled 7,935 votes (53.7 percent) to Kemp's 6,848 (46.3 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10211995/10211995_60.html|title=Results for Election Date: 10/21/1995 Webster Parish|publisher=[[Louisiana Secretary of State]]|accessdate=September 18, 2014}}</ref><ref>''Minden Press-Herald, October 23, 1995, p. 1.</ref> The sheriff collects [[property tax]]es, enforces criminal law in the parish outside of the  municipalities, and with his staff of deputies is recognized as the most powerful political officer in the parish.​

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Riser attributed his victory to [[God]]: "We fought a good fight, and Mr. Kemp fought a good fight. He was a very formidable opponent, and I feel like it was one of the cleanest races in the state." Kemp, who came to speak at Riser's victory rally, had thirty years experience in law enforcement at the time of his defeat.<ref>"Riser wins Sheriff's race:, ''Minden Press-Herald'', October 23, 1995, p. 1.</ref> He sworn into office in a ceremony at the Minden Civic Center on July 1, 1996. Judge Scott Crichton, a Minden native who was later elected to the Louisiana Supreme Court, administered the oath.<ref>"Riser sworn in as WP sheriff", ''Minden Press-Herald'', July 2, 1996, p. 1.</ref>​

Riser attributed his victory to [[God]]: "We fought a good fight, and Mr. Kemp fought a good fight. He was a very formidable opponent, and I feel like it was one of the cleanest races in the state." Kemp, who came to speak at Riser's victory rally, had thirty years experience in law enforcement at the time of his defeat.<ref>"Riser wins Sheriff's race:, ''Minden Press-Herald'', October 23, 1995, p. 1.</ref> He sworn into office in a ceremony at the Minden Civic Center on July 1, 1996. Judge Scott Crichton, a Minden native who was later elected to the Louisiana Supreme Court, administered the oath.<ref>"Riser sworn in as WP sheriff", ''Minden Press-Herald'', July 2, 1996, p. 1.</ref>​

In 1999, Riser won his second term by a similar margin than his first when he defeated former sheriff's deputy Thomas Cameron "T. C." Bloxom, Jr. (1929-2014), a native of Mansfield DeSoto Parish, but a  long-term Minden resident. Riser polled 7,552 votes (54.3 percent) to Bloxom's 6,351 (45.7 percent). Bloxom had become a deputy in 1956 under [[J.  D. Batton]] and continued in that role under successor Sheriffs O. H. Haynes, Jr., and Royce McMahen.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10231999/10231999_60.html|title=Results for Election Date: 10/23/1999: Webster Parish|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=September 19, 2014}}</ref> One of the best known of law-enforcement officers in Webster Parish, Bloxom was also the appointed Minden Fire Department chief from 1971 to 2008 and the elected city police chief from 1990 to 2010, a position that he held during his second race for sheriff against Riser in 1999.<ref>"T. C. Bloxom, long-time Minden fire chief, dies", ''The Shreveport Times'', July 14, 2014.</ref> In 1983, Bloxom had unsuccessfully challenged McMahen in the latter's bid for a second term. He polled 4,425 votes (25.5 percent) to McMahen's 11,090 (64 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10221983/10221983_60.html|title=Results for Election Date: 10/22/1983: Webster Parish|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=September 18, 2014}}</ref>​

In 1999, Riser won his second term by a similar margin than his first when he defeated former sheriff's deputy Thomas Cameron "T. C." Bloxom, Jr. (1929-2014), a native of Mansfield DeSoto Parish, but a  long-term Minden resident. Riser polled 7,552 votes (54.3 percent) to Bloxom's 6,351 (45.7 percent). Bloxom had become a deputy in 1956 under [[J.  D. Batton]] and continued in that role under successor Sheriffs O. H. Haynes, Jr., and Royce McMahen.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10231999/10231999_60.html|title=Results for Election Date: 10/23/1999: Webster Parish|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=September 19, 2014}}</ref> One of the best known of law-enforcement officers in Webster Parish, Bloxom was also the appointed Minden Fire Department chief from 1971 to 2008 and the elected city police chief from 1990 to 2010, a position that he held during his second race for sheriff against Riser in 1999.<ref>"T. C. Bloxom, long-time Minden fire chief, dies", ''The Shreveport Times'', July 14, 2014.</ref> In 1983, Bloxom had unsuccessfully challenged McMahen in the latter's bid for a second term. He polled 4,425 votes (25.5 percent) to McMahen's 11,090 (64 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10221983/10221983_60.html|title=Results for Election Date: 10/22/1983: Webster Parish|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=September 18, 2014}}</ref>​

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During his time as sheriff, Riser seemed repeatedly at odds with the Webster Parish Police Jury, the parish governing body akin to the county commission in most other states. The dispute centered over the housing and reimbursement of the costs of prisoners. Riser accused the police jury of not paying its bills after the jurors offered barely half of what the sheriff said was owed. The police jury, led by its president, Charles Roger "Charlie" Walker, Sr. (1931-2015) of [[Doyline, Louisiana|Doyline]], subsequently sued Riser, whom it accused of allowing his employees and inmate crews to sabotage the vacant parish penal farm; the damages rendered the facility inoperable for further use as a jail.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zoominfo.com/s/#!search/profile/person?personId=38045906&targetid=profile|title=Ted Riser|publisher=zoominfo.com|accessdate=September 18, 2014}}</ref><ref>KTBS-TV, [[Shreveport]], Louisiana, July 30, 2003.</ref>Josh Beavers, former publisher of ''The Minden Press-Herald'', said that Walker handled the controversy with Riser fairly: "Through all of the turmoil, I never felt like Mr. Walker was trying to be subversive. He was always honest, always open."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/walker-remembered-as-father-leader-and-friend/|title=Walker remembered as father, leader and friend|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|accessdate=March 16, 2015}}</ref>​

During his time as sheriff, Riser seemed repeatedly at odds with the Webster Parish Police Jury, the parish governing body akin to the county commission in most other states. The dispute centered over the housing and reimbursement of the costs of prisoners. Riser accused the police jury of not paying its bills after the jurors offered barely half of what the sheriff said was owed. The police jury, led by its president, Charles Roger "Charlie" Walker, Sr. (1931-2015) of Doyline in south Webster Parish, subsequently sued Riser, whom it accused of allowing his employees and inmate crews to sabotage the vacant parish penal farm; the damages rendered the facility inoperable for further use as a jail.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zoominfo.com/s/#!search/profile/person?personId=38045906&targetid=profile|title=Ted Riser|publisher=zoominfo.com|accessdate=September 18, 2014}}</ref><ref>KTBS-TV, [[Shreveport]], Louisiana, July 30, 2003.</ref>Josh Beavers, former publisher of ''The Minden Press-Herald'', said that Walker handled the controversy with Riser fairly: "Through all of the turmoil, I never felt like Mr. Walker was trying to be subversive. He was always honest, always open."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/walker-remembered-as-father-leader-and-friend/|title=Walker remembered as father, leader and friend|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|accessdate=March 16, 2015}}</ref>​

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Under Riser, a new $7.3 million state-of-the-art prison, the Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center, named for Dorcheat Bayou and located within the former Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant, or Camp Minden, west of Minden, was constructed to house up to 340 prisoners. Because the land on which the center lies is formerly United States Army property, Riser depended on then [[U.S. Senator]] [[Mary Landrieu]], a Louisiana Democrat defeated in 2014 by Republican [[Bill Cassidy]], to break through the federal regulations: "She was a real champion for us. She ... helped us get through everything that had to be done in [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]]."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zoominfo.com/CachedPage/?archive_id=0&page_id=273750645&page_url=//www.press-herald.com/news/0327news.html&page_last_updated=2002-03-28T09:42:40&firstName=Ted&lastName=Riser|title=Dorcheat Center Ready at Last|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|author=Josh Beavers|date=March 28, 2002|accessdate=September 18, 2014}}</ref>​

Under Riser, a new $7.3 million state-of-the-art prison, the Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center, named for Dorcheat Bayou and located within the former Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant, or Camp Minden, west of Minden, was constructed to house up to 340 prisoners. Because the land on which the center lies is formerly United States Army property, Riser depended on then [[U.S. Senator]] [[Mary Landrieu]], a Louisiana Democrat defeated in 2014 by Republican [[Bill Cassidy]], to break through the federal regulations: "She was a real champion for us. She ... helped us get through everything that had to be done in [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]]."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zoominfo.com/CachedPage/?archive_id=0&page_id=273750645&page_url=//www.press-herald.com/news/0327news.html&page_last_updated=2002-03-28T09:42:40&firstName=Ted&lastName=Riser|title=Dorcheat Center Ready at Last|publisher=''Minden Press-Herald''|author=Josh Beavers|date=March 28, 2002|accessdate=September 18, 2014}}</ref>​

|date=March 22, 2012|publisher=gov.louisiana.gov|accessdate=September 18, 2014}}</ref> Established by the legislature in 1985 to build and equip prisons for lease to the state, the corporation raises funds through revenue bonds.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zoominfo.com/s/#!search/profile/person?personId=38045906&targetid=profile|title=Riser named to board of prison corporation|publisher=zoominfo.com|accessdate=September 18, 2014}}</ref>​

|date=March 22, 2012|publisher=gov.louisiana.gov|accessdate=September 18, 2014}}</ref> Established by the legislature in 1985 to build and equip prisons for lease to the state, the corporation raises funds through revenue bonds.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zoominfo.com/s/#!search/profile/person?personId=38045906&targetid=profile|title=Riser named to board of prison corporation|publisher=zoominfo.com|accessdate=September 18, 2014}}</ref>​

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==References==​

==References==

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