NEW ROADS - Outgoing Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff Bud Torres left office more than three weeks ago and left his office stripped down to the bare floor.

Torres told the WBRZ Investigative Unit that he took the drapes and the wood flooring from his office before he vacated. Those are items that Torres said he paid for. He said he wanted his successor to come in with a blank canvas.

After the original WBRZ report showed the bare floor, Torres paid $642.04, the cost the parish estimated to replace the floor Torres initially removed so his personalized flooring could be installed. 

New Sheriff Rene Thibodeaux said the transition has not been easy.

"There hasn't been hardly any transition at all," Thibodeaux said. "That statement was made to me five or six months ago, I wouldn't be allowed in the courtroom or get set up. There has hardly been any transition at all."

Thibodeaux said despite the challenges he has already encountered, all deputies will get a raise beginning Wednesday. Thibodeaux said he is bringing a wealth of experience to the department, including filling three captain positions with longtime members of law enforcement.

"I was in that office for the last 23 years," Thibodeaux said. "I've got a lot of people coming into my captain positions, they have 29 and 30 years. The experience I am bringing back to Pointe Coupee is going to help me create my own transition."

Thibodeaux said he wants to get back to community policing and is exploring pricing body cameras for the department.

"I talked about bridging the gap between the community and police 13 months ago before all of this started happening around the country," Thibodeaux said. "That's what's in my heart and my belief."

Thibodeaux said the first order of business on Wednesday will be to swear in all the deputies. He said he's excited and grateful for the opportunity to keep the parish safe.