Sheriff Julian Whittington was officially sworn in for his fourth term as Sheriff of Bossier Parish in a ceremony held at the Bossier Parish Courthouse on Sunday afternoon. The oath of office was administered by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, marking the continuation of Sheriff Whittington’s long-standing dedication to public service.
Surrounded by family and friends, Sheriff Whittington took the oath with his wife, Melissa, holding the family Bible. Reflecting on his career, Whittington said, “I was fortunate enough to be involved in the Sheriff’s Office 24 years before becoming Sheriff. I think we made a lot of progress during those years, and I was able to step in and take it to the next level.”
Sheriff Whittington emphasized the unique role of a Louisiana Sheriff, noting, “A Louisiana Sheriff is really unique in that we have liberties and things we are able to do that even the other 49 states don’t. And so a Sheriff in Louisiana, with the right person and the right intentions, can really get a lot done. And so I try to take advantage of that every day and do the most I can with the ability I have to keep Bossier safe.”
Speaker Mike Johnson, in his remarks, highlighted the importance of leadership and the role Sheriff Whittington plays in the community. “Ronald Reagan reminded us that freedom isn’t inherited in the bloodstream. It has to be taught and fought for and passed along to the next generation. And that is what we are aiming to do here. And with local leadership, principle leadership like Sheriff Whittington, he set a great example for that, a great model. He is a great leader around our state, around our region, even our nation, because of the statistics we maintain in this parish and the extraordinary leadership that he provides,” Johnson said.
Sheriff Whittington expressed his gratitude to Speaker Johnson, stating, “I’ve known Mike for several years. I always knew he was going places. I pray for Mike and his family and the challenges he faces as Speaker of the House. He’s a great leader, a great Congressman and a great guy.”