GRANT PARISH, La. - What is it about the Litter Court that has some people so upset? Passions ran high today when they took their case to the police jury.
News Channel 5's Kathleen Witte was there as those neighbors tried to clean up the Litter Court.
When Jerrie Tunnell stood up to address the Grant Parish police jury about her problems with the litter court, she says, she didn't hold back.
"I believe that emotions ran high," Tunnell says. "And that's to be expected. And like I told them, they are our employees. We are the employer."
Tunnell and some other residents say they're upset that constables who hand out tickets for littering often get a cut of the fine paid.
"They each receive a cut of every ticket," says Tunnell. "And they've used it as a money opportunity, on the backs of these poor people."
While several people in the police jury meeting stood up to agree with Tunnell, a few stood up in support of the Litter Court.
"I've seen the changes," says Janice Martin of Dry Prong. "The dumpster areas are a lot cleaner, a lot nicer. There would be no patrol of the dumpsters, I suppose, if it were not for the constables."
The police jury did respond to Tunnell's call for action, saying the district attorney has agreed to do a review of litter violations and the range of fines.
"The constables are needed to do their job," says Police Jury President Arnold Murrell. "And they need to do it in a manner that is treating the public right, treating everybody fair. But they are needed. But we do have some issues with it, and we do have some problems that we need to resolve."
Members of the police jury brought up ideas like lights and cameras at dump sites, and signs that clearly state what trash is allowed. But they say, these things aren't going to happen overnight.
"We've got some ideas, and we're studying some things to do," Murrell says. "But we just need time to get it all together."
Jerrie Tunnell says, she looks forward to those changes. The changes she says, her parish and its people deserve.
"I'll believe it when I see it and hear it," Tunnell says. "And we will be watching constantly. I think we're on the verge of economic growth in Grant Parish. Let's make sure that our house is clean."
The police jury nor the district attorney could give a timeline for this review of the litter court.
