There have been three murders in the past week in the city of Lafayette.
Authorities are always asking for the public’s help to give them tips and information that could possibly help their investigations.

“We do ask the public if they have any information on what occurred here, on Lafayette Street, please call Crimestoppers at 232-TIPS,” said Bridgette Dugas, PIO for the Lafayette Police Department earlier.

But getting anonymous information from people, is easier said that done.
And is there any way to protect people who come forward with information?

“First of all, a lot of people don’t want to be witnesses. So they won’t come forward,” said Earl Taylor, the District Attorney for the 27th Judicial District of St. Landry Parish.

He knows how hard it is to get crime witnesses to speak up, because they fear possible retaliation, or are pressured by the families of the victims…

“To either change their statements or to get lost, or to just completely modify what they’re going to say,” said Taylor.

“You click here on tip submission and you see here, it says the name, email, phone number, those are all optional fields,” said Valerie Ponseti, Public Affairs Communication Assistant with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office has an App where you can submit tips anonymously. You can also do so via Crimestoppers.

And even if you don’t think the information is important… 

“It could be the one thing that helps our investigators get that case solved,” said Ponseti.

In St. Landry Parish, they have a Victim’s Assistance Coordinator, but as for witness protection, that all has to deal with a lack of funding.

“We can’t babysit everybody, we don’t have the manpower, the Sheriff (St. Landry Parish) doesn’t have the manpower. You know we would love to have a Witness Protection Program but there’s just no funds for that kind of program,” said Taylor.

With no assurance for witnesses being protected if they come forward with information, it could slow down families getting justice for their loved ones.

“We are limited to what we can do, when the witnesses do not come forward,” Taylor stated.

He says that his office can go and tell people or witnesses to crimes to get a protective order, but he says that sometimes frankly doesn’t keep someone safe.

We reached to 15th Judicial District Attorney Keith Stutes to talk about witness protection in his department and in Lafayette.
He declined to give us an interview.

The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office does have some resources available for crime victims, you can visit this link.