Voters Organized to Educate understands how Jim Crow laws, the Drug War, and mass incarceration have fueled intergenerational poverty and crime. We are committed to building a sustainable Louisiana that balances freedom and public safety.

The Sheriff’s office is one of the most powerful in our community. It manages one of the largest budgets in the state, employs hundreds, and directly impacts thousands every year. We took this election seriously – surveying candidates, conducting video-recorded interviews, and hosting a livestreamed forum with Sheriff Susan Hutson and Edwin Shorty. Although Ms. Woodfork committed, she left for a fundraiser in City Park minutes before the forum began. Many of Ms. Woodfork’s stated positions appear to be aligned with Sheriff Hutson on paper though we were unable to hear those positions debated. 

Sheriff Hutson has infused greater transparency into the office; revamping the OPSO website, issuing quarterly and annual reports, engaging in community events, and presenting detailed budget requests far more thorough than her predecessors. While City Council denied key requests for jail repairs and staff pay raises, Hutson has continued to push for improvements in the face of massive criticism. 

She has also taken bold steps to keep families connected. Under her leadership, every person in OPSO custody now receives one free 15-min daily phone call and one free 20-min weekly video call.  She recognized the importance of family unification, family reentry, and the need for people to hold onto their jobs, apartments, and cars. Most people who go through jail are for less than 60 days, which is long enough to lose it all without support. Tensions run high on the inside. Violent incidents dropped by 55% after starting this new program. Those wanting to keep deputies safe should support it. Edwin Shorty, like former-Sheriff Gusman, opposes free calls, calling it “lost revenue.”  

We are equally alarmed by Shorty’s proposal to expand the jail and bring in federal detained people. In his own words, he believes a bigger jail can bring in more funding. In practice, this would mean large-scale ICE detention in New Orleans, tearing families apart and flooding our communities with raids. Shorty also cast shade over people getting bail on anything other than a “traffic violation” or “simple possession of a narcotic.” 

By contrast, Sheriff Hutson has expanded opioid treatment, partnered with health professionals to prevent withdrawal deaths, and invested opioid settlement funds as intended into care, not punishment (at odds with most Sheriffs in the state). She has also launched a reentry hub to connect people with mentorship and community support, helping them keep jobs, housing, and stability after release.  

With over three years of on-the-job experience, we believe the best route for the people of New Orleans is to re-elect Sheriff Susan Hutson.