BPPJ Mourns the Loss of One of Its Own

The Bossier Parish Police Jury is deeply saddened by the loss of District 1 Police Juror Bob Brotherton. His contributions will be profoundly missed.

“Coach” Bob Brotherton, District 1 Police Juror, was born and raised in Bossier Parish and devoted his entire professional career to involvement in education, coaching, and service in the parish. He is a graduate of Haughton High School and received his B.S. from Northwestern State University.

“Coach”, fondly called by his many friends and former students, began teaching at his high school alma mater in 1975 after gaining his master’s degree and plus-30 from Louisiana Tech University.  There, Brotherton served as head track coach, assistant football coach, classroom teacher, and driver’s education instructor. He is a lifetime Louisiana High School Athletic Association member and was chosen by his peers 10 times as District Track Coach of the Year. He was selected three times as the Shreveport Times All-Area Coach of the Year and received the Shreveport/Bossier Award for Outstanding Contribution to Track.

In addition to teaching at Haughton High School, Brotherton was an adjunct professor at Bossier Parish Community College, instructing first responders in basic and advanced life-saving courses.

“Coach” retired in 2007 after 33 years at Haughton High, but he didn’t end his service to the people of Bossier Parish, he began to serve in a different capacity. Brotherton was elected to the Bossier Parish Police Jury where he began his service to the residents of District 1 where he served five terms. He was named vice president in 2016 and moved up to president in 2017. While on the jury, he was either a member or chairman of 15 different committees.

Brotherton was elected in 2017 to the Executive Board of the Police Jury Association of Louisiana (PJAL), representing Region 4, and moved through the ranks of leadership, culminating with his service as president of the group in 2022. As president, Brotherton traveled the state and lobbied the legislature representing issues of police juries in all parishes.

During his time on the police jury, “Coach” was named the public body’s representative to the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission advisory board where he served multiple terms. Brotherton also served many years as a police jury representative on the Bossier Parish Library Board of Control where he was an advocate for excellence in the parish’s library system.

Bossier Parish Attorney Patrick Jackson reflected on the impact that Coach Brotherton had on the jury and the parish. “Coach Bob Brotherton was a remarkable leader and a dedicated public servant whose impact on Bossier Parish will be felt for generations,” said Jackson. “Throughout his years of service on the Bossier Parish Police Jury, Coach Brotherton embodied the values of integrity, humility, and servant leadership. He never sought recognition or praise, choosing instead to work tirelessly behind the scenes to improve the lives of those in our community. Much like the athletes he once coached, his colleagues and fellow jurors knew they could always rely on him for principled, steady guidance and unwavering commitment to the betterment of Bossier Parish. His legacy of selfless service and steadfast leadership will be deeply missed.”

Brotherton played a crucial role in bringing the Easton Hoyt Pro/Am Archery Shooters Association Tournament to northwest Louisiana at Camp Minden, where archers from across the nation and several foreign countries compete. Brotherton’s active involvement in securing the tournament resulted in officials signing a 10-year contract which is estimated to bring an estimated $25 million economic impact to the area over its course.

Brotherton was well respected by his peers and was considered one of the guiding and stabilizing forces on the police jury. His goal was to make Bossier Parish a place where families and businesses would thrive. He wanted it to be a place that would attract new residents and make young people who grew up here want to stay for their professional careers.

“Coach” Bob Brotherton will sorely be missed.