BRIDGE CITY, La. (WGNO) — Neighbors of the Bridge City Center for Youth (BCCY) are frightened and fed up after the most-recent escape of six juveniles over the weekend led to one person being shot. Citizens are joining local leaders in calling on the state to close the facility, but Governor John Bel Edwards says closing the facility is ‘simply not an option.’
On Tuesday, a press conference with the Office of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Corrections addressed recent security issues after six youth escaped the facility over the weekend, leaving one person injured.
The governor first confirmed an investigation involving staff members who violated the center’s security protocol implemented last month, contributing to the weekend’s escape. Edwards says the staff have since been placed on leave, citing “leadership failure” as a key factor in the incident.
“That was the most egregious, I think, shortcoming that we’ve identified thus far is because there were additional resources there, both inside and outside the perimeter, and it was deviation from the protocols that had been established,” said Edwards.
Moving forward with what the state plans to do to address security issues at the facility, Edwards added that the OJJ is working with the DOC and Louisiana State Police for enhanced operations inside the facility, along with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office for increased security outside the facility.
For immediate action, the governor says that a senior staff member with the OJJ will be on-site at Bridge City to ensure that the state’s security protocol for the facility is enforced.
Additionally, approximately half of the youth living at the facility will be rehoused at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola Prison. Edwards explained that youth who have participated in the state’s Juvenile Understanding and Managing Problematic Behavior Program (JUMP) program will stay at the facility, while more violent offenders will be moved to Angola. Juveniles relocated will have no contact with adult inmates at the prison and could be rehoused as soon as next month.
“While they’re temporarily housed in this separate building at the Louisiana State Penitentiary and thereafter at Jetson [Center for Youth], all juveniles will remain in the care and custody of OJJ,” said Edwards. “They will not have contact with adult inmates and will continue to receive all the services they currently receiving through OJJ, including education.”
Meanwhile, the governor also suggested that some juveniles could later be moved to the Swanson Center for Youth at Monroe, which is currently under construction. Renovations are expected to be completed as soon as spring of 2023, which could provide a more long-term solution for Bridge City issues.
All of this comes after multiple escapes from the facility in the past year, including Sunday’s early-morning escape that involved six juveniles breaking out of the facility. Five juveniles were apprehended shortly afterward, however, the sixth escapee, a 17-year-old, reportedly stole two vehicles and shot a man during a carjacking. He was arrested after a nine-mile pursuit with Louisiana State Police.
Just last month, the Jefferson Parish Council unanimously called for the closure of the facility.
“Supposedly, the governor sent additional people to be on staff at the facility,” said District 5 Councilwoman Jennifer Van Vrancken. “Well, clearly, that didn’t work. We had a breakout Sunday that led to additional crimes.”
Council members believe closing the juvenile detention center is the only option.
“I hate to say it; without anything being done, it becomes almost a certainty that this is going to happen,” said District 4 Councilman Dominick Impastato.
Community members agree and say the juvenile detention center was not designed to be a correctional facility.
“We would hope that the plan would be to reduce this facility down to no detainees, and maybe they could turn it into something more productive,” said Dennis Guidry with the Nine Mile Point Civic Association.
The people who live near the facility fear they will be the victim of the next crime and want the center to be closed for good.
“My phone rang at 4:30 that morning and it was an emergency call saying six of them had broken out. That happened at 2:30, and they’re calling me at 4:00,” explained Bridge City resident Linda Birden.
Birden recalls being alerted Sunday morning of the latest escape from the BCCY. Like many of her neighbors, she wants a solution.
“Close it down,” said Briden.
“It seems like even with the added security, they can’t do anything about it,” resident Terence Feazell told WGNO’s LBJ. “We’ve got state troopers riding around the neighborhood day and night, Jefferson Parish sitting back here day and night and these kids are still getting out so it’s not the security problem because they’re not worried about that. They want to get out and there’s a way to get out and they seem to have found that.”
Feazell provided us with this video of last month’s incident where the escapees came through his yard, saying he fears that sooner or later, someone will get hurt like Sunday’s carjacking victim, who was last listed in stable condition.
VIDEO: Juveniles walk through neighbor’s yard after escaping Bridge City Center for Youth
“Sooner or later, something’s gonna happen. A resident is gonna end up coming in contact with these kids or an elderly person or somebody getting in the car in the morning going to work. I’m just tired of it,” said Feazell.
After several escapes this year and a fight that injured a facility resident and a staff member, the state has placed additional forces in and around the facility, but Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Cheng echoed the concerns of residents.
“This building in this neighborhood really has just shown that even with the attention and the additional resources, it failed,” Cheng explained.
WGNO also spoke to JP councilman Deano Bonano, who told us “The state now has blood on their hands because we told them it wasn’t a case of ‘if’ but ‘when’ one of those escapees would hurt someone.”
Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.
On Tuesday, Governor John Bel Edwards is expected to announce a plan regarding the Bridge City facility, a spokesperson telling WGNO in a statement that:
“We have been reviewing what happened this past weekend to determine the best path forward for the youth at Bridge City and also for the surrounding community. We will be sharing an update on the steps that have been taken in response to the incident this past Saturday night and a detailed plan for the future of Bridge City tomorrow (Tuesday). The Governor’s focus is on ensuring the safety of the youth, the staff, and the surrounding community.”
Details on what the plan entails were unclear.
