Nickelson is a good man, but experience should matter
In the upcoming Caddo Parish Sheriff election runoff, the choice between two candidates couldn’t be starker: John Nickelson, who is someone I know and like, finished first in the recent primary election, ahead of a candidate that most people believed would at least get the most votes because of his extensive experience as a law enforcement professional.
John is a great guy, a wonderful lawyer, and a terrific family man, but being Caddo Parish Sheriff is serious business, and not a position that lends itself to on-the-job training. Law enforcement is difficult, and leading a large department of law enforcement officers like the Caddo Sheriff’s Department should require certain prerequisites, like having some experience in the profession.
Mr. Nickelson has never worn a uniform, military or otherwise, and being the leader of a large law enforcement department like the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Department should be more than just a notion. He has never arrested anyone. He has never had to do the down and dirty work that policemen do.
In fact, we don’t even know if he has ever fired a weapon or used a stun gun. What we do know is that he has never had to do the hard work that even his predecessor, Sheriff Prator or his opponent, has done; They both started as beat cops, and rose to the position of Shreveport Chief of Police.
Sheriff Prator has arguably been one of the most successful and effective law enforcement officers in north Louisiana, and there is not much dispute about that. There is no doubt that he would have been hard to beat if he had chosen to run for another term.
Instead, he decided to throw his support to a novice like John Nickelson, who as I said, is a good man, but being a good man does not make you qualified to lead the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s department.
Mr. Nickelson is Sheriff Prator’s handpicked successor, and that is fine, but even Sheriff Prator knows that John Nickelson is going to face enormous challenges coming into the office without any law enforcement experience. I am sure that in another time or place, Sheriff Prator would not be in favor of turning the department that he has worked so hard to build over to a novice, who frankly, is no more qualified to be Sheriff than I am. And that is not a knock-on John, it is just a fact. Even Sheriff Prator knows that.
On the opposite side of the race is Mr. Nickelson’s opponent, former Chief Henry Whiteorn, who I don’t know very well, but I am very familiar with his impressive law enforcement résumé. He has served as a former State Police Superintendent, a U.S. Marshal Chief in Shreveport, and even as a successful Chief of Police for the city of Shreveport. His extensive experience in law enforcement positions him as a highly qualified candidate for the role of Caddo Parish Sheriff.
In any other circumstance, one would think that a lifelong law enforcement officer like Sheriff Steve Prator, would be supporting the person who has done the job, and has a proven track record, but this is where we are today in our polarized and partisan politics.
Steve Prator knows who the best qualified person is in this race, but he is a Republican, and he wants to see a Republican in the job, which is understandable.
It just seems like he is willing to accept any Republican, even one that has no prior experience that qualifies him to hold such an important position as Caddo Parish Sheriff. It just doesn’t compute. Prator’s endorsement suggests that he believes Nickelson is the right person to continue the legacy he’s built as Sheriff.
Yes, he has been a good Sheriff. I will give him that, but this endorsement also raises questions about whether Prator’s influence will linger in the department even after he leaves office, potentially overshadowing Nickelson’s leadership. It is a legitimate question.
The race for Caddo Parish Sheriff is poised to be one of the most intriguing political battles in the region. As voters weigh the merits of experience versus a new perspective, they must ultimately decide who they believe is best suited to lead the Sheriff’s Office into the future. Steve Prator’s role as kingmaker adds another layer of complexity to the race, as many wonder how much influence he will wield in the department’s direction, regardless of the outcome.
The question on many minds is whether Nickelson’s lack of law enforcement experience will be a hindrance or a testament to his fresh perspective on the role of sheriff. But the fact still remains that on the opposite side of the race is a candidate with an impressive law enforcement pedigree.
Henry Whitehorn is a former State Police Superintendent, a former U.S. Marshal Chief in Shreveport, and a former successful Chief of Police in the city of Shreveport. His experience should matter. The sharp contrast between the two contenders highlights the choice facing Caddo Parish voters. And that’s my take. smithpren@aol.com