Lawrence Batistte will become the new chief parole officer at Strickland Youth Center
(PRICHARD, Ala.) Nov. 13 - Lawrence Batistte is resigning his position as chief of police to become the Strickland Youth Center's chief parole officer.
"Did he hit it?" The question comes from Prichard Police Chief Lawrence Batistte as he closely watches his officers take aim.
The pistol range is a place of camaraderie for police officers, and training at the range has become a staple for Prichard Police Chief Lawrence Batistte and his officers. It's where they go to sharpen their skills and preapre for events they hope will never happen.
But as of Dec. 13, Batistte will leave the department and the city of Prichard behind to face a new law enforcement challenge: cheif probation officer at Strickland Youth Center. As part of the job, Batistte will manage Alabama's largest staff of juvenile probation officers.
"Not only managing their day to day business, but also the community relations, having to have that good relationship with the community and promote the youth center," Strickland Youth Court Judge Edmond Naman says. Naman says he is excited about Batistte's arrival.
Batistte says he may be leaving Prichard, but he's not leaving Prichard behind and will continue to be there.
Batistte's departure comes at a time when Prichard is struggling with a pension fund crises and bankruptcy. It's second bankruptcy filing, but Batistte says it would be a mistake to assume Prichard's problems are the reason he is leaving his position as top cop.
He acknowledges frustrations with economic resources, manpower, but he says he can't think of many times he didn't get what he ask for from the city.
"Bankruptcy was never an issue with the whole thing," Batistte says. "Because when I left the sheriff's deptartment, the city of Prichard was in bankruptcy. That never played into it. Like I said, this is an enormous opportunity to take some additional resources back to that community."
Batistte says there are youth programs available at Strickland Prichard never participated in, but he hopes that, with his new job and old ties to the city, Prichard will take advantage of the programs.
