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Eighteen Caddo Sheriff’s deputies arrived in south Louisiana on Sunday to lend support to Baton Rouge area law enforcement during demonstrations and unrest in the capital city.

The deputies, along with Sheriff Steve Prator and Chief Deputy D.E. Stevens, were dispatched there as part of the Louisiana Sheriff’s Association’s  Task Force, which lends mutual aid to other sheriff’s offices during emergencies. Prator is the Northern District Coordinator for the Task Force.

Assistance from Caddo deputies was requested by the LSA, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Police because of Caddo's prior training in civil unrest, Prator said.

Deputies arrived in Baton Rouge around 11:30 p.m. Sunday and attended their first roll call just after 4 a.m. today. They were dispatched to the I-10 bridge over the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge where they assisted deputies from other agencies in a preventative operation after officials learned of possible disruptions to traffic there. The event did not materialize, after demonstrators were turned back by law enforcement.

Today at noon, Prator and other law enforcement officials met with Gov. John Bel Edwards at the LSA office on Nicholson Drive. The Governor thanked them for their response and assistance with law enforcement duties.

Caddo deputies are expected to join East Baton Rouge sheriff’s deputies tonight for patrol duties in the parish. They will ride in two-man units with EBRSO and be available for other calls as needed.

Caddo deputies are expected to stay in Baton Rouge at least through Tuesday.

Photo of Gov. Edwards meeting today with some of the agencies providing law enforcement support in Baton Rouge (from left):

 Sheriff Bud Torres, Pointe Coupee

Col. Mike Edmonson State Police

Carl Dabadie, Jr. Chief of Police, BRPD

Sheriff Sid Gautreaux, EBR

EBR D.A. Hillar Moore

Gov. John Bel Edwards

Sheriff Steve Prator, Caddo

Sheriff Jason Ard, Livingston Parish

Sheriff Brett Stassi, Iberville Parish

Sheriff Mike Cazes, West Baton Rouge