A former Webster Parish deputy has revealed a troubling oversight inside the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office: they served under Sheriff Jason Parker for years while having an unresolved 18-year-old domestic abuse battery charge on their record — a charge they believed had been resolved long ago, only to discover the truth when applying at a different law-enforcement agency after moving away.

Even more troubling, Sheriff Parker’s office certified this deputy with a Taser and chemical agents, giving them the ability to use force as a law-enforcement officer — despite a background that should have stopped the hiring process immediately.

What Louisiana Law Says

Domestic Abuse Battery — La. R.S. 14:35.3

Louisiana law defines domestic abuse battery as the intentional use of force or violence by one household or family member against another.

Peace Officer Certification Law — La. R.S. 40:2405(J)(1)(b)

Louisiana POST law states:

The POST certification of any peace officer shall be revoked if the officer has been convicted of domestic abuse battery under R.S. 14:35.3.

Even though revocation is tied to conviction, unresolved charges must be detected during background checks for hiring, POST training approval, and use-of-force certifications.

Use-of-Force Certifications Require Verification

Despite this, the deputy in question was:

✔ Hired
✔ Trained
✔ Certified with a Taser
✔ Certified with chemical agents
✔ Given the ability to use force

—all while an unresolved domestic-abuse battery charge remained active in Louisiana’s criminal records database.

Why This Matters for Webster Parish

1. A Basic Background Check Should Have Stopped This

Another agency found the unresolved charge immediately when the deputy applied out of state.
This proves that Parker’s office failed to run a proper background check — or simply ignored the results.

2. Liability and Safety Risks

Allowing a deputy with an unresolved domestic-abuse charge to have the ability to use force puts:

• Citizens at risk

• Fellow deputies at risk

• The parish at legal liability

3. POST Certification Integrity Is in Question

POST paperwork requires honest, complete criminal-history disclosure.
This situation raises doubts about whether Parker’s office:

• Submitted incomplete information

• Misrepresented the deputy’s background

• Or ignored POST verification requirements

4. An Ongoing Pattern Under Sheriff Parker

HeartOfWebster.com has documented numerous examples of failed leadership under Parker:

• Mishandling medical emergencies

• Poor response to fentanyl exposure

• Retaliation complaints

• Unsafe working conditions

• High deputy turnover

• Lack of oversight and internal controls

This hiring failure fits the pattern perfectly.

The Deputy Only Learned About the Charge After Leaving Webster Parish

The deputy believed the case was resolved long ago and only learned it was still active when applying for work in another state.

That agency found the charge immediately.

Meaning:

✔ The system worked
✘ The problem was Sheriff Parker

This is not a minor oversight — this is a fundamental leadership failure.

Jason Parker: Highway Patrol Experience Doesn’t Replace Leadership

Sheriff Jason Parker often promotes his Highway Patrol experience as proof of his qualifications.
But experience alone doesn’t make someone a leader, and it certainly does not excuse failures in basic hiring standards.

At the end of the day, Jason Parker is a politician — one who has grown far more comfortable giving polished speeches than doing the hard, unglamorous work of ensuring every deputy is properly vetted, trained, and safe for public service.
His leadership style leans heavily on image, not accountability.

And the result is clear: serious mistakes like allowing an unresolved domestic abuse battery charge to slip through the system.

Brian Bass: Leadership Built on Standards, Not Speeches

In sharp contrast, longtime law-enforcement professional Brian Bass has made it clear that every single person who works for the sheriff’s office must undergo a strict, thorough background check — no excuses, no shortcuts, and no political favoritism.

Bass believes that deputies must be held to the highest standards because the community depends on them.
To him, leadership means protecting the public, supporting deputies, and enforcing rules consistently, not simply standing behind a podium and delivering a comforting speech.

His philosophy is simple but powerful:

“If you wear the badge, you must earn the badge.”
This is the type of leadership Webster Parish has been missing.

Webster Parish Deserves a Leader, Not a Politician

A sheriff is responsible for ensuring that deputies are properly vetted, legally eligible, and safely trained before they are given the ability to use force.

By employing and certifying a deputy with an unresolved domestic abuse battery charge, Sheriff Jason Parker failed to meet even the minimum standard of leadership.

Brian Bass has been outspoken that every deputy must be thoroughly vetted and held to strict standards — because that is what keeps both deputies and citizens safe.

The community deserves answers to critical questions:

• Why wasn’t the unresolved charge caught?

• Who approved the POST certifications?

• Are there others working without full background checks?

• Why were political image and speeches prioritized over safety and accountability?

• What safeguards — if any — have been implemented since?

Until these questions are answered, trust in the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office will continue to decline.