Calcasieu Parish communications department places in CMA competition for courthouse-flag video featuring facilities staff

Miss Booth, director of communications, told the Police Jury that the parish’s communications and media department entered a video showing how the courthouse dome flag is changed and earned recognition from the City/County Communications & Marketing Association (CMA), placing in the top three in the training and education category.

Booth said the office shifted toward using employees on camera to tell stories rather than relying on interviews, and she credited Jared Young from the communications department for leading production. Booth praised facilities employee Jeremy Brashears as the "real star" of the video and said one CMA judge told the department, "The shots of Jeremy on the dome were amazing. It really felt like you were there with him during the process." Booth said the submission was the department’s first time entering the competition and that they plan to submit more entries in future cycles.

Jeremy Brashears, who identified himself as a member of facility management, explained the hands-on process shown in the video: crews access the dome via the courthouse stairways to the crow's nest, use harnesses and an accompanying staff member for safety, and change or lower flags when they are torn or noticeably faded. "The way we do this safely is the whole time we are up there, we have a harness on, and we have someone accompanying us to make sure everything is okay," Brashears said.

Jurors praised the video’s audio and footage quality and complimented the communications team for using parish employees as on-screen storytellers. The jury played the video during the meeting.