Former EPSO employees condemn mistreatment of inmates shown in videos
EVANGELINE PARISH, La (KLFY)-- Video of Evangeline Parish Sheriff Office employees can be seen mistreating inmates on multiple occasions.
After seeing the videos of inmates being mistreated, three former employees who wished to remain anonymous say it's time to make things right because inmates should not be treated badly or attacked. They say it's common if an officer or deputy at the jail is told to resign or risk getting fired if they speak out.
One of the former workers at the parish jail says not all the officers or deputies were unethical. However, they were asked to resign or be charged with malfeasance if they did not comply with what they were told to do. They said mistreating inmates and reporting it could cost someone to lose their job, or worse.
"They're like a clique. If you're in their clique, you belong there. If you're not in their clique, they'll get rid of you," said the former worker.
The second former worker says although they did not partake in mistreating inmates, they feel the way to help make things right is by speaking up now.
"My love of law enforcement kind of made me blind to some of the things that was tolerated and some of the things that was going on," they said.
The final former employee who resigned because they felt it was unethical working there says they're speaking out now because they don't want everyone to think every officer or deputy in the facility behaves that way. They said the person in the videos should be held responsible because that is no way to treat a person.
"I was brought up you have to be accountable regardless of if the cameras are on or not. I worry someone if it doesn't change is going to be killed or seriously injured because nobody paid attention…nobody listened. But now that the videos are out. Maybe something will be done," they added.
All three former employees say they are glad they're finally speaking out because it's a way to help make things right.