Winnfield Police Dept

12/20/2025

12/17/2025

Winnfield, LA—The 19th Annual Shop with a Cop was considered a total success on Saturday. Even the weather, though warm, cooperated.. A community became participants in providing a Christmas for a number of children. This year totaled 55, not as many due to some unplanned issues.
The kids were assisted in their shopping by representatives from the police department which includes officers, 911 operators, jailers and secretaries. Also seen shopping was Mayor Hamm and Walmart associates. While Santa and Mrs. Clause were present for the entire day, there were some special visitors prior to the parade: a Christmas Tree, a Gingerbread Man, and of course, the
Grinch. Children, families and volunteers met at the Police Station where the children were allowed to ride special service vehicles and police cars followed by parents and friends in their cars which made for a parade that stretched for about 2 miles. There was plenty of noise to welcome the Christmas season as sirens wailed throughout the parade.
This event is only made possible through donations by businesses, private citizens, and the annual Boot Drive that was conducted by the police department along with volunteers from Mount Grace. Chief Johnny Ray Carpenter headed this community project. An accounting of the money will be published at a later date. “I cannot thank the community and volunteers enough for the outpouring of love and spirit that goes into this program,” stated Winnfield Chief of Police, Johnny Ray Carpenter. “Merry Christmas from all of us to all of you!”

12/11/2025

Quick Reminder: The community of first responders and civic leaders will come together for the annual "Shop with a Cop" program starting at the Winnfield Police Department at 2:00 pm tomorrow, Saturday December 13. We will parade on emergency response vehicles to the Walmart Supercenter for "Shop with a Cop". Come join us in providing a wonderful Christmas experience to these under privileged children and enjoy the comradery of all us working together to make this happen.

11/13/2025

Thursday, November 20th, 6:00 pm the Winnfield Police Department and the Winnfield Fire Department will host a town hall meeting at the Allen Building on Main Street. Topic will be the future of the “Shop with a Cop” program, the actions put in place to ensure transparency and accountability, and to address any concerns the public may have about the program.
All interested citizens are invited to attend and/or speak to the assembly. This is a great program that puts first responders in touch with area children that may otherwise not have a decent Christmas. It cannot be done without the help and support of the community that we serve.

11/13/2025

Due to unforeseen events, the boot drive originally scheduled for November 15th has been postponed until November 22nd. The 19th Annual “Shop with a Cop” program that unites all first responders, volunteers, and community leaders.
The Boot Drive will be held from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm with volunteers at the intersection of US Hwy 167N and Thomas Mill Rd collecting donations for the “Shop with a Cop”.

11/12/2025

. A Boot Drive for the 19th Annual “Shop with a Cop” program will be held on Saturday, November 15th, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm with volunteers at the intersection of US Hwy 167N and Thomas Mill Rd collecting donations.

11/05/2025

Today I was handed this letter to the community by Chief Carpenter:

11/05/2025

This was published in WP Journal 10/29:
Winnfield, LA----Autumn has arrived bringing with it many opportunities to strengthen the bonds between First Responders and the community. First responders include police officers, firemen, ambulance personnel, communications officers and corrections officers.
Winnfield’s events will kick off with Fall/Halloween festivities starting with a “Trick or Treat” at Autumn Leaves Nursing Home on October 23rd. As always, responders will be participating in the annual “Trunk or Treat” on Main Street on October 28th. The next event will be a “Trick or Treat” for residents of Winnfield Nursing and Rehab on October 30th. This busy week ends with the Homecoming football game and Homecoming dances and parties.
November will bring its own good times with Open House in downtown Winnfield, Veteran’s Day, and Black Friday. Other events include the 19th Annual “Shop with a Cop” program that unites all first responders, volunteers, and community leaders. A Boot Drive will be held on Saturday, November 15th, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm with volunteers at the intersection of US Hwy 167N and Thomas Mill Rd collecting donations for the “Shop with a Cop”.
There has been some negative allegations concerning the support “Save a Child” non-profit organization that ran our Shop with a Cop Program. Chief Johnny Ray Carpenter has stated that he will ensure that there will still be a program. “ I will manage this personally,” he stated, adding that all donations and expenditures will be recorded, audited, and published for transparency. “We use this program to help build a lasting positive relationship between under-privileged children and first responders by giving them a positive experience,” he said.
Many times, children have had unfortunate events and negative interactions with first responders, like fires, medical emergencies or death of a family member, and criminal activities that often lead to arrest and separation issues that affect their well-being. “We don’t want those negative incidents to be the only enduring memory of their contact with first responders, whether is it police personnel, firefighters, or EMT/Paramedics,” he stated.

11/05/2025

This article was published October 29th.

Winnfield, LA----Autumn has arrived bringing with it many opportunities to strengthen the bonds between First Responders and the community. First responders include police officers, firemen, ambulance personnel, communications officers and corrections officers.
Winnfield’s events will kick off with Fall/Halloween festivities starting with a “Trick or Treat” at Autumn Leaves Nursing Home on October 23rd. As always, responders will be participating in the annual “Trunk or Treat” on Main Street on October 28th. The next event will be a “Trick or Treat” for residents of Winnfield Nursing and Rehab on October 30th. This busy week ends with the Homecoming football game and Homecoming dances and parties.
November will bring its own good times with Open House in downtown Winnfield, Veteran’s Day, and Black Friday. Other events include the 19th Annual “Shop with a Cop” program that unites all first responders, volunteers, and community leaders. A Boot Drive will be held on Saturday, November 15th, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm with volunteers at the intersection of US Hwy 167N and Thomas Mill Rd collecting donations for the “Shop with a Cop”.
There has been some negative allegations concerning the support “Save a Child” non-profit organization that ran our Shop with a Cop Program. Chief Johnny Ray Carpenter has stated that he will ensure that there will still be a program. “ I will manage this personally,” he stated, adding that all donations and expenditures will be recorded, audited, and published for transparency. “We use this program to help build a lasting positive relationship between under-privileged children and first responders by giving them a positive experience,” he said.
Many times, children have had unfortunate events and negative interactions with first responders, like fires, medical emergencies or death of a family member, and criminal activities that often lead to arrest and separation issues that affect their well-being. “We don’t want those negative incidents to be the only enduring memory of their contact with first responders, whether is it police personnel, firefighters, or EMT/Paramedics,” he stated.

06/10/2025

SCAM Alert from the Winnfield Police Department
Over the past few weeks, there has been a noticeable increase in scam text messages falsely claiming to be from the Louisiana “DMV” or Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV). These messages often state that you owe traffic fines or penalties and urge you to take immediate action.
These scams are fraudulent. The scammers are directing individuals to fake websites designed to closely mimic the official Louisiana OMV site using similar names, designs, and logos to deceive users.
• Do not click on any links in suspicious text messages.
• Do not provide any personal or payment information.
• Be skeptical of urgent messages demanding immediate action or threatening legal consequences.
Important Reminder:
The Louisiana OMV does not send text messages or emails threatening legal action for unpaid traffic tickets or fees.
Below is the official message from the Louisiana OMV, which has been shared with the public and state employees. It includes additional details and guidance.
Please share this important information with your coworkers, families, and friends.
________________________________________
Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles Warns Residents of Another Text Message Scam

Baton Rouge – Louisiana State Police and the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) are alerting residents about another text message scam that has the potential to steal personal information and charge unnecessary fees. In the latest iteration of the scam, many Louisiana residents have received text messages claiming the recipient has an “outstanding traffic ticket” and must pay a fee or face repercussions. The OMV recommends that customers ignore and delete such messages.

The Louisiana OMV offers the following tips to help residents avoid scams:

· DO NOT click on links in an unsolicited message from an unverified source
· DO NOT respond or send your personal information via text
· Delete all suspicious texts and emails and report them to reportfraud.ftc.gov
· Exercise caution with all communications you receive from anonymous sources
· Confirm the message was generated from a legitimate source
· Keep an eye out for signs of scams (rewards, vague URLs, incorrect grammar)

The Louisiana OMV does not send text messages or emails threatening prosecution for traffic or fee violations. To process legitimate online services safely and securely, Louisiana residents can visit the official OMV website at www.expresslane.org

Skip the lines and wait times! Renew your license, registration and more through the official Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles ExpressLane portal.