Long-Time Bossier Parish Law Enforcement Officer Passes Away

It is with a great deal of sadness that I report to you today about the passing of former Bossier Parish Sheriff Vol Dooley.

Vol and I were friends for many years and I've always had the greatest deal of respect and admiration for his law enforcement ability and his professionalism.

Vol began his law enforcement career in 1950 when he became a 23-year-old State Trooper with the Louisiana State Police and then joined the Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office in 1954.  (At the time that he got into law enforcement, I was just a 2-year-old kid growing up with my family in Geneva, New York -- between our trips back and forth between San Antonio and Honolulu)  Vol worked his way up through the ranks and eventually became Chief Deputy to then-Sheriff Willie Waggoner until Waggoner passed away in 1976.

It was then that Dooley was appointed to fill out the remainder of Waggoner's term and then went on to win a special election later that year and served as sheriff from 1976 until 1988, when he lost to Larry Deen.  He then went on to serve as Security Director for the Caddo/Bossier Port Commission until he retired from that post.

Perhaps my most vivid memory of Sheriff Dooley dates back to the early morning hours after the Bossier City tornado in January of 1978.  I was making my way toward the emergency room of what was then Bossier General Hospital when I encountered Vol and then Bossier City Mayor Marvin Anding coming out of the ER   I whipped out my microphone and asked both of them for a comment.   Vol just waived me off and said, "Not now, John -- just walk with us."  It was obvious from the look on both of their faces that they were seriously disturbed by what they had just seen, so I silently walked with them to their cars.  Once we got to their cars in the parking lot, they both opened up to me with one of the most heart-wrenching interviews I've ever done in my 41 years of covering radio news.

The next day, Sheriff Dooley personally invited me to accompany him and Mayor Anding on a National Guard helicopter flight to survey the path of the storm and the damage that it had caused.  I'll never forget the shock and disbelief that they both exhibited that morning and the absolute heart-felt sympathy that they expressed to those who were most seriously impacted by they storm.

Sheriff Dooley was 87 years old when he died Monday evening.after a lengthy illness.   Visitation is set for Thursday evening, from five until seven, at Cypress Baptist Church in Benton.  His funeral will be at 11 Friday morning at Cypress Baptist with burial to follow at Hillcrest Cemetery in Haughton.

RIP, Vol.  I'm sure going to miss you.