Local and state officials continue to react to the horrific acts committed by Baton Rouge shooter Long, Gavin Eugene Long.
Livingston Parish President Layton Ricks released a statement Monday morning.
I have watched with great sadness and unease the recent events involving law enforcement in Baton Rouge and subsequently Dallas. Until yesterday, I had a sense of distance and security from the events happening in other communities. Yesterday, that sense of safety dissolved as Livingston Parish residents fell in the line of duty. Now our community has directly felt the grief and anguish of this upheaval.
It woke me up to the somber fact that events, even those happening next door or hundreds of miles away,
in an instant can change my life and the lives of those around me. We are all touched by tragedy and
senseless acts that threaten our sense of civility and security. Sometimes horrific events pull us together
but sometimes they pull us apart.
We must realize and understand that law enforcement is the only thing standing between a civilized
society and chaos and lawlessness. Every day, these men and women get up and put on a uniform that
makes them a target for the misguided ideologies of others. Yet they continue to risk their lives so the rest
of us can face each day with a sense of normalcy and protection as we go about our daily lives.
These are not just men and women in uniform, they are our children, our parents, our siblings. In the blink
of an eye, three of these noble men lost their lives defending civilians; three others are wounded, one with
such severe injuries he is literally fighting for his life.
I urge you, not just as the duly elected President of Livingston Parish, but as a member of this community
and as a father and grandfather, we must remember that we, as Americans, are one nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. United we stand or divided we will fall.
Please, join me in praying for peace, security and safety for our families and communities. We need to be
in prayer for all those who mourn and those who sit next to loved ones suffering from the horrible impacts
of this violence. Pray for healing, pray for resolution and pray for the men and women who risk their lives
to enforce the laws of civilized society.
I stand firm in my unwavering support of all members of the law enforcement community. Without their
barrier, we will surely face the loss of peace and order. Our society cannot survive without these ideals.
Layton Ricks, Parish President
Parish of Livingston