At its Jan. 9 regular meeting, the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury elected Judd Bares as its 2025 president and Mike Smith as its vice president.

Bares is serving his third term representing District 12. This is his second term as Police Jury President; he first served in that role in 2018.

Bares earned his bachelor’s degree in mass communications from McNeese State University. An award-winning television producer for 20-plus years, he now works in sales and marketing for Mike Willis Ford. Married to the former Tressie Russell, he is the father of two children - Charlee and Jett.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to represent my fellow jurors as the 2025 Police Jury President and I will work tirelessly for the residents of Calcasieu Parish,” Bares said.

Smith, who is serving his second term representing District 2, is the owner/agent of Big Mike Bail Bonds and Consulting in Lake Charles. A graduate of Washington-Marion High School and the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now ULL), he and his wife, Tricia, have four sons - Kyndall, Michael II, Bradford, and Xavier - and four grandchildren