Dan Carter, of Poteau has spent the past 20 years working in the Drug Task Force where he had the full intentions to retire, but according to Carter, God had other plans. “God told me that I was not going to retire from Drug Task Force. I was offered the job of administrator of the LeFlore County Detention Center (LCDC) ten months ago and struggled whether or not to take the job. But, on July 1, 2022, I accepted God’s calling and when you listen to God, He blesses us with what He knows we need and then supplies it.”
In just 3 weeks, Carter and his staff at the jail have accomplished a lot.
“We were able to get a new riding lawn mower, 100 new blankets for the inmates and new orange jump suits as well. We also have a new clothes washer, a new walkie talkie communications system, and a three-stage kitchen sanitation process. All this will help with decontamination and cut down on waste.”
Carter said the LCDC is currently taking bids on a new food supply distributor that will meet the dietary standards.
They have installed a new shower system in the intake area that will clean and sanitize.
Besides the cosmetic changes, Carter has restructured the hiring process. The goal is to give everyone a raise by December.
“God wants us to be good stewards with His money. My goal is by next June to offer jailors pay increases to bring up the starting pay to $25,000 a year. It may be a lofty goal but certainly is attainable.”
Carter has accomplished a lot since July 1 but says he could not have made the transition without the help of Joyce Piguet, “Joyce has retired after 20 plus years and she has came in to help make things a lot easier and I owe her a big thanks.”
So what does the future hold?
“I want to bring the 21st Century Church back to the 1st Century. In the New Testament, Paul calls the church to minister to all of society. I am calling on Churches and people in the community to help us out.
“Come and minister, hold church services. The jail is a mission field. If you can’t preach or teach there are other ways to minister with donations of personal hygiene items for men and women, blankets, band aids, and over the counter medications. The jail houses 186 inmates, and one bottle of Ibuprofen won’t last long. We also take donations to help provide jump suits and shoes for inmates while in our care.”
If you are interested in providing items from Carter’s list above, or if your church is looking for a local ministry opportunity, contact Carter at 918-647-5013.