By BEN LUNDIN

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – The holiday shopping season, always hectic and often marred by crime, was one of the safest in the history of St. John Parish, courtesy of an increased police presence throughout the area.

A typical holiday season has approximately one dozen occurrences of purse snatching or shoplifting, but no incidents of crime occurred in a 19-day span, from Dec. 14 through Jan. 2, at any malls in the parish. On Jan. 3 a man stole a woman’s purse at Riverland Shopping Center but ran straight into a deputy who was working that detail and was immediately apprehended. There were no other reported incidents during the season and fewer cars were broken into than average, according to Sheriff Wayne Jones.

The St. John Sheriff’s Office, in response to concerns about the influx of displaced citizens in the parish, had as many as 20 officers patrolling the interiors and parking lots of stores throughout the parish from Dec. 14 through Jan. 3 from 6 p.m. to midnight, and transported a mobile command center and incarceration unit to stores throughout the parish.

&#8220St. John is no longer a small country parish,” Jones said. &#8220I want the citizens to come out and feel safe when they’re shopping.”

The increased patrols, which cost the parish $3500, comprised plain clothed detectives, uniformed officers, ATV’s, police cars, mobile incarceration units and mobile command units.

Reserve police participated in the increased patrols, other officers needed to adjust their shifts and many worked overtime.

&#8220I want to commend the deputies for a job well done,” Jones said. &#8220I’ve heard a lot of positive comments from the citizens of the community about how safe they felt. This was a very successful holiday shopping season.