Sheriff Randy Seal: Remembering WPSO Deputy Oneal Moore

Evil visited Washington Parish during the night of June 2, 1965, in the form of assassins who cowardly ambushed and murdered Washington Parish Deputy Sheriff Oneal Moore and seriously injured his partner, Deputy Sheriff Creed Rogers. On that fateful night, Washington Parish lost a hero and his dear family lost a husband and father.

Oneal Moore was no ordinary man. After faithfully serving his country as a soldier in the United States Army, he signed on with the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office as the first black deputy in the history of the parish. From all accounts, he was an excellent law enforcement officer who treated everyone with respect and enforced the law fairly and without prejudice.

Although his earthly life ended that night, his legacy lives on today and will continue to live on as we embrace him in our memory and vow that such a tragedy shall never again occur in our parish. Washington Parish may have its faults, but forgetting our heroes is not one of them.

In 2011, when you elected me as your new Sheriff, I pledged to formally honor Deputy Moore. That pledge was fulfilled a short time later with the dedication of a Fallen Heroes Memorial at the Sheriff’s Office in Franklinton. The memorial is structured around a bronze bust of Deputy Moore and also features bronze plaques honoring all Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office personnel who have given their lives while serving our parish citizens. My prayer is there will never be a need to add another name to this memorial wall.

May we never forget the cost of Deputy Oneal Moore’s love for all of the people of Washington Parish. He gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Randy “Country” Seal
Sheriff of Washington Parish