St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre has announced name changes for two divisions at the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office to reflect the evolving range of their duties and mission.
The Juvenile Detective Division has been renamed the Special Victims Unit (SVU) and within the Lt. Sherman R. Walker Correctional Center, Programs is now the Corrections Security Investigative Unit (CSIU). Both changes aim to reflect the expanded functions and scope of investigations handled by each of those divisions.
Corrections Security Investigative Unit
The Corrections Security Investigative Unit (CSIU) acts as a detective bureau inside the correctional facility. Its primary mission is to maintain safety, disrupt illegal operations, and maintain order.
The CSIU team finds, removes, and prevents illegal items like cell phones, weapons, and drugs from entering the facility. The CSIU staff monitors inmate phone calls, mail, and visitor logs to stop planned crimes before they occur. CSIU investigates disciplinary incidents, use of force, and incident reports.
CSIU is called in for cell extractions, combative inmates, and to transport high risk inmates. The main responsibility of the CSIU team is to maintain a safe and secure workplace.
Special Victims Unit
While juvenile-related offenses remain a primary responsibility, the division also investigates a broad range of crimes involving vulnerable victims, including child physical abuse, child sexual abuse, human trafficking involving minors, internet crimes against children, missing and exploited juveniles, elder abuse cases and other offenses involving victims who require specialized investigative techniques and victim-centered approaches.
The Special Victims Unit designation more accurately represents the division’s mission and aligns with the terminology used by many law enforcement agencies across the country. Special Victims Unit conveys a broader commitment to protecting members of our community while recognizing the specialized nature of these investigations.
The SVU team also will be responsible for SJSO’s involvement in the Louisiana Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.