Authorities target delinquent dads in Lake Charles

There are certainly a number of debts that an individual can incur that are forgivable. Unpaid child support is not one of them and Louisiana law enforcement takes a hard line when it comes to negligent fathers who try to skirt their child support obligations.

Failure to pay child support has a direct effect on a child and robs them of the greatly needed money for everyday expenses.

Like many similar stings staged around the state throughout the year, law enforcement near Lake Charles, Missouri recently took special aim at negligent fathers in an effort to bring them to justice. Police formed eight teams of two deputies that took to the streets to serve over 135 arrest warrants and try to squeeze payments out of deadbeat fathers that owed a combined $2 million in unpaid child support.

The operations manager for Child Support Enforcement, which collaborated with police, said that these types of crackdowns usually bring in lump sum payments, or else law enforcement can work with negligent fathers to strike a deal for future payments. If the fathers cannot pay, they will either be sent to jail or the Academy of Training Skills, which offers a work program.

This recent crackdown netted 25 individuals and lump sum payments that totaled $11,000. Of those taken into police custody, 14 were brought to jail and three were diverted to the Academy of Training Skills. The other eight were able to muster up enough payment to keep them out of both facilities.

The operations manager at Child Support Enforcement promised that just because some men were able to avoid police during this particular effort, that doesn’t mean they will be able to run from their child support obligations for long. Of course, she also did not want non-custodial parents to treat law enforcement or Child Support Enforcement as the enemies. She encouraged delinquent fathers to come into the offices and plead their case. Many times, officials can work with non-custodial parents and work out a plan that will help ensure they can make the payments.

Source: KPLCtv.com, “Deputies serve warrants for back-owed child support,” Lee Peck, April 24, 2012