Houck remembered as dedicated, trail blazing lawman

Friends and former colleagues of retired Lincoln Parish Sheriff Wayne Houck are remembering Houck today as a “real deal” lawman who was genuine and helped move the parish into the modern law enforcement era.

“He started a system that worked,” former Sheriff Mike Stone, Houck’s immediate successor, said.

Houck, 83, died Wednesday. He was the longest-serving sheriff in parish history, with a 24-year tenure that spanned from 1980 to 2004. All totaled, Houck spent 41 years in law enforcement, all in Lincoln Parish.

“What he really impressed upon me was, if at all possible, not to jump to conclusions. Pick your battles. Give things time to work out,” Louisiana Tech University Police Chief Randal Hermes said.

Houck was a Ruston Police Department inspector when Hermes began there as a patrolman. The two continued to work together when Hermes was named to a multi-agency 3rd Judicial District narcotics task force and later when Hermes was city police chief.

“We really clicked together. He was somebody in law enforcement other guys could watch and follow,” Hermes said.

Houck began his law enforcement career in 1963 at RPD while still a student at Louisiana Tech University. For $300 a month, he patrolled the city’s streets.

Two years later, the Hico native, who by then had a bachelor’s degree in history, joined LPSO as a deputy. That’s where friends say he developed a reputation as a tireless and effective investigator.

In 1975, Houck resigned as deputy to participate in a political campaign. In 1976, he returned to RPD as an inspector in the criminal investigation division.

Three years later, Houck ran for sheriff and won. He would be reelected five consecutive times, often with no opposition.

"That's a testament to his political strength," Stone said. "He never had a tight race at all."

Stone, who worked with Houck for 20 years, called Houck a “real deal lawman” who often went out on calls himself, especially in the day when the office had few deputies.

“He would be right out there with us,” Stone said.

Stone remembers Houck’s first day as sheriff.

“He said, ‘We’re going to have a professional office,’” Stone said.

That meant not only physical changes to the office that was then located on the ground floor of the Lincoln Parish Courthouse, but also programmatic and administrative upgrades.

Part of that was adding computers.

“We were still working off paper,” current Sheriff Stephen Williams said.

Houck hired Williams in 1993.

“He was also the sheriff that started trending toward better training for deputies,” Williams said.

The Houck era also saw the implementation of Louisiana’s first D.A.R.E. program — and appointed Stone as a D.A.R.E. officer, got the LPSO’s first K9, started the senior citizen TRIAD program and brought Neighborhood Watch to the parish.

The Lincoln Parish Detention Center was also built under his administrator.

Houck’s people skills are drawing wide remembrance. Former coworkers said Houck was not a micromanager. He trusted the deputies and staff he hired to do their jobs.

“He would try to get all the facts in a row before he would ask you, ‘hey, tell me about this call you were on,” LPSO Major Chad Alexander said.

Houck hired Alexander in 1995.

“I had heard his name all my life. It was synonymous with our sheriff’s office,” Alexander said.

Retired Reserve Jerry Whitman said Houck was genuine.

“He was the kind of guy who was himself. He wasn’t a put on. He was there for you,” Whitman said. “You loved being around him.”

“He believed in relationships,” retired 3rd Judicial District Judge Wayne Smith said. “He was fair. He was never vindictive. … When it came down to the law and doing his job, he was going to do what was right and fair and equitable. He didn’t yield because of a person’s place.”

That, said Stone, made all the difference.

“What I learned (from Houck) was you can get all the equipment, you can have all the infrastructure, but if you don’t treat the public right, you missed the mark.”

Houck is survived by his wife Doyce Wilson Houck of Ruston; daughter Teresa Houck Yelverton and husband Jack of Poway, California; son, Tracy Wayne Houck and wife Angela of Dubach; and daughterAmy Houck Sutton of Ruston; and five grandchildren, Sara and Addison Yelverton, Lauren and Anna Houck, and Colter Sutton.