The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is hosting a ceremony this week to dedicate a portion of I-220 in Bossier Parish to former Bossier City Marshal Johnny Wyatt. He served in the position for nearly 20 years.

The ceremony will feature Louisiana State Senator Robert Adley and Judge Jeff Thompson, and will take place at the DOTD district headquarters at 3339 Industrial Drive at 2 p.m. August 20.

Biography
Johnny Wyatt graduated Bossier High in 1964 and attended Louisiana Tech University. After college, he became the CEO of Geneva’s Beauty College, a family owned business. He served as an administrative assistant to the late Mayor James Cathey.

Johnny Wyatt served as City Marshal of Bossier City from January 1, 1991, to his untimely death on October 8, 2010. His leadership in that law enforcement position evolved into setting the standard for City Marshal offices across Louisiana. Johnny Wyatt believed in his staff and their abilities to serve the community. When Wyatt took his oath of office, he changed the mindset of what a typical Marshal’s Office did and then raised the bar.

Johnny Wyatt always had a soft heart for people in need especially children. He established “A Step in the Right Direction,” a program that assisted young people and parents of young people in need due to alcohol or drug addiction.

Once again in 2006, he started the Northwest Louisiana Internet Crimes against Children Task Force. His reason was simple for the being the hosting agency in Northwest Louisiana. He loved his grandchildren and did not want any child to fall into the hands of a predator. This led to uniting law enforcement agencies across the region in a fight against online predators targeting children. In 2008, he created the Bossier City Marshal’s Office Cyber Crime Unit to assist agencies with digital forensics.

He loved his community and loved serving it to the fullest. Johnny Wyatt was honored to serve Barksdale Air Force Base and the Military Affairs Council.

Johnny Wyatt was the person people reached out to during major life changing events. One of his most outstanding professional attributes was his ability to forge alliances among agencies and groups to collaborate for the greater good, as evidenced by his work to coordinate the arrival of the President at Barksdale on 9/11 and manage emergency communication services in the community after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. (Biography courtesy of City Marshal of Bossier City).

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