Four local deputies headed off to Louisiana yesterday for a mutual aid stint of up to two weeks to help fellow law enforcement officers with post-hurricane support.

Newton County Sheriff's Office Capt. Marty Roberts, 1^st Lt. Mark Mitchell, Sgt. Randy Downs and deputy Kevin Watkins scrambled to pack and prepare to leave about two hours after they received the final word Wednesday morning.

Along with deputies from Bartow, Cobb, Forsyth, Harris, Oconee and Walton County and headed by Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry, they'll be assisting the deputies of Ascension Parish, which sits about halfway between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

"These are smaller counties that don't have that many employees, so our deputies are going over there to relieve local deputies," said Newton County Sheriff Joe Nichols.

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