The regularly scheduled December meeting of the Jackson Parish Police Jury was moving along just like all others prior. Then the time came for Mark Treadway, Director of the Jackson Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) to give his department’s monthly update.  Instead he dropped a bombshell.

Treadway surprised those in attendance when he announced that this would be the last meeting that he would be attending as the Jackson Parish Homeland Security Officer and Director of OEP as he would be stepping down to focus on his duties as Executive Management Officer for the Louisiana Fire Marshall office.

In a prepared statement Treadway reflected on his years of service and expressed his gratitude to the people of Jackson Parish.

“In 2017 Jackson Parish Police Jury President Mr. Eddie Langston came to my office at the Jonesboro Fire Department along with Vice President Ms. Regina Rowe and GOHSEP Region 8 Director Mr. Joe Stewart. By the time they left I had accepted the position of Director for Jackson Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness.”

“I have tried to give the people of Jackson Parish the best service I could. Since I took the over office, the parish has had 4 tornados, COVID-19 and two Hurricanes. The one thing that I can say through all these emergencies is JACKSON PARISH people are resilient and very giving. To see you all work tirelessly during these past 4 years during all parish wide emergencies was amazing and I am truly proud to be living in this Parish.”

“As I leave the office at the end of this year, I would like to say THANK you to the people of Jackson Parish for all of your hard work and dedication to each other and your neighbors during times of emergencies. This parish is the BEST!”

“To all the departments of the Fire, EMS, Police, and Sheriff offices, you go above and beyond the call of duty and I proud to say that you all are the BEST and the residents of this Parish should be thankful and proud of you.”

“To the Jackson Parish Police Jury Presidents that I have worked for (Eddie Langston, Regina Rowe, John McCartney and Amy Magee) THANK YOU for your FULL Support, I could not have done it without each of you.”

”I have truly enjoyed my time as the Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness for Jackson Parish and look forward to continue to serve as Executive Management Officer for the Louisiana Fire Marshal Office. I wish a Merry Christmas to each of you!”