A quick response from officers helped stop an attempted escape at the Washington Parish Jail on Saturday morning, and the sheriff is now publicly applauding their actions.
According to the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office, around 9 a.m., inmate Joseph Jackson tried to escape the jail by scaling the recreation yard fence. Officers noticed his suspicious movements and responded immediately.
Sheriff Randy Seal said Jackson made it over the first fence and was attempting to climb the second one when he was spotted. Without wasting any time, deputies quickly moved in and stopped him before he could get any farther.
“Thanks to the sharp eyes and fast action of our corrections staff and deputies, we were able to stop the escape,” said Sheriff Seal. “This is exactly why we train hard. They did everything right, and I’m proud of them.”
Joseph Jackson is being held on multiple charges, including burglary and resisting arrest. After Saturday’s escape attempt, more charges are expected to be added.
The sheriff’s office has now launched an internal review to understand exactly how Jackson managed to reach the fence. Jail staff are checking all security protocols to ensure a similar situation doesn’t happen again.
Sheriff Seal emphasized that maintaining a secure jail is one of the department’s top priorities. He added that incidents like this show how important constant alertness is when dealing with inmates.
“No one was hurt, and that’s the most important thing,” Seal said. “The situation could have turned out very differently if our team hadn’t reacted the way they did.”