Russell Sanders
Director of Operations
Russell E. Sanders began his extensive career at Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center on January 3, 1994 as a direct care officer and was among the first group of individuals employed by the facility. On January 18th, 1994, the center officially opened and accepted the first juvenile into custody.
Finding his niche working with troubled youth, Russell was quickly promoted up through the ranks. In 1995 he was appointed Assistant Shift Supervisor and then promoted again in 1996 to Shift Supervisor. In the following years, Russell was named employee of the quarter twice and received numerous commendations from both the Executive Director and the Florida Parishes Juvenile Justice Commission. In 2005, he was appointed Director of Operations and charged with the task of overseeing multiple facets of security operations and various departments within the organization.
He directly supervises the Intake staff, Recreational Coordinator, K-9 Handler, ten Shift Supervisors, and seventy-four direct-care employees. Sanders was also instrumental in developing the Detention Center’s partnership with Performance-based Standards (PbS), a performance improvement program that establishes sustainable best-practices and positive outcomes in the field of juvenile justice. He has overseen performance data collection and assisted with implementation of numerous facility improvement plans using the model. Russel’s efforts greatly assisted the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center in being honored with 3 national awards, and numerous finalist placements, for excellence in juvenile justice.
During his tenure Russell has received multiple certifications and memberships related to the field of juvenile justice and community leadership. Between 2002 and 2015, he received the TPSO Certification for Correctional Officers, Chemical Weapons Instructor Certification, attended the Dale Carnegie Leadership Training for Managers, Dale Carnegie Course in Effective Communication and Human Relations, and completed the Leadership Tangipahoa Program. As a longtime member of the Louisiana Juvenile Detention Association, he was appointed to serve on their Executive Board in 2008, holding both the office of President and Vice President. Sanders also chaired a Juvenile Detention Standards Committee for the Association and assisted in creating and implementing legislation enacting minimum standards for all Louisiana Juvenile Detention Centers.
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Email: RSanders@fpjdc.org