A Vermilion Parish dog training company foots the bill for an expensive hotel stay for 13 employees of the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. The owner of LAK9 from Vermillion Parish said he contacted OPSO ahead of Mardi Gras to offer help. After learning that OPSO had spent over $19,000 in taxpayer dollars to fund hotel stays, they reached out again. We told them what should we do? We told you we would take care of it, we take care of it,” said Paul Leblanc, owner of LAK9. “We never did any financial work with the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, none of that came up. They bought a dog from someone else and it’s not even us, and that’s not why we did it. I guess the people of New Orleans don’t understand that there are good people there. It burns deep when someone tries to do something good. The city map said they would only cover hotel bills for out-of-town law enforcement. WDSU interviewed Hutson on Wednesday morning. There was no mention of a donor in the works and she defended the expenses. Hutson said they have staffed in hotels to coordinate out-of-town enforcement. A few hours after the interview, WDSU learned that the company would foot the bill. Leblanc and other company representatives stopped by the sheriff’s office and were made honorary deputies. OPSO says LAK9 is not considered to be a possible supplier. LeBlanc said he had never done business with OPSO. “Well, nobody knew how much those rooms were going to cost in the end. It’s like the other things, the sheriff’s office pays for them and we reimburse the sheriff’s office,” Leblanc said.
A Vermilion Parish dog training company foots the bill for an expensive hotel stay for 13 employees of the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office.
The owner of LAK9 from Vermillion Parish said he contacted OPSO ahead of Mardi Gras to offer help. After learning that OPSO had spent over $19,000 in taxpayer dollars to fund hotel stays, they reached out again.
“Sir, we came down yesterday because once we saw the headlines in the news it floored us. We told them what should we do? We told you we would take care of it, we take care of it,” said Paul Leblanc, owner of LAK9. “We never did any financial work with the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, none of that came up. They bought a dog to someone else and it’s not even us, and that’s not why we did this I guess the people of New Orleans don’t understand that there are people good out there. It burns deep when someone tries to do something good.
WDSU first reported that Sheriff Susan Hutson spent more than $19,000 to house 13 high-ranking employees in hotels. The city plan stated that they would only cover hotel bills for out-of-town law enforcement.
WDSU interviewed Hutson on Wednesday morning. There was no mention of a donor in the works and she defended the expenses.
Hutson said they have staffed in hotels to coordinate out-of-town enforcement.
A few hours after the interview, WDSU learned that the company would foot the bill.
Leblanc and other company representatives stopped by the sheriff’s office and were made honorary deputies.
OPSO says LAK9 is not considered to be a possible supplier.
LeBlanc said he had never done business with OPSO.
“Well, nobody knew how much those rooms were going to cost in the end. It’s like the other things, the sheriff’s office pays for them and we reimburse the sheriff’s office,” Leblanc said.