Red River Sheriff Glen Edwards said, “I refute everything they say about law enforcement since 2012 (the year he was elected sheriff).”  Edwards commented to the Journal about allegations of lax investigations of complaints of sexual abuse filed by inmates of Ware Youth Center.

Edwards said, “It is just the opposite.”  He said, “Since 2015 we have been to Ware 170 times.  Most dealt with walk-aways or run-aways from the facilities.  There have been inmate attacks on staff, damage to property by inmates, and unfortunately we have had to investigate several suicides by inmates.  In each instance we do a thorough investigation of the incident.  Just because a person is inside that facility does not mean we do not investigate the complaint.  We give those children the same level of service given to any resident of the parish.”

Edwards said that allegations of sex abuse are thoroughly checked out.  “I want to get to the truth because that should not be going on,” said Edwards.  He said, “In all of their interviews with inmates who have run away and been recaptured I don’t recall hearing of allegations of sex abuse as the basis for running away.”

“The article didn’t give any evidence of sex abuse allegations.  It was just the opposite.  We do investigate all complaints.  We go to Ware every time we are summoned,” said Edwards.  He added, “The results of our investigations are submitted to the District Attorney just like any other case.” 

The Sheriff summed up the New York Times article, “They are misinformed.  That’s putting it kindly.”

Editor’s note:  Readers may obtain free access to the two New York Times articles by googling the paper and Ware Youth Center.  Here is the link to the article the Journal published on Wednesday:  https://redriverparishjournal.com/2022/11/02/ware-youth-center-subject-of-investigative-report/

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