Longtime law enforcement official John Rogers has announced he will run for sheriff of Lafayette Parish.

Rogers said he got his start in the sheriff's office 15 years ago, starting out in the correctional center before moving to patrol, narcotics, and then his current role as a litigation specialist in risk management.

Current sheriff Mike Neustrom announced in January he would not run for re-election. His decision "came as a bit of a shock," Rogers said. Neustrom has done "numerous things for the department," Rogers continued, "and my love for the sheriff's office and the community is one of the major reasons I'm doing this."

"I want the opportunity to be able to help the parish."

Rogers said he wants to look at the "connectivity between the different divisions" and bolster a "community feeling" within the department. As Lafayette continues to grow, Rogers said "we need to be more aware and more involved in what we're doing for our employees, how we're working and interacting with the parish."

To keep up with that growth, Rogers said the department would have to reach out to the various agencies within the parish and look at some way "we can unify the different municipalities within the parish to try to bring together as a whole a large blanket of law enforcement where we can interact with our community leaders, interact with our community, get to know your officers, get to know your deputies.

To listen to the full interview with Rogers, click on the 'Play' button below.

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