U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) honored former Rapides Parish Sheriff William Earl Hilton, who was killed on Monday, during a speech delivered on the Senate floor on Mar. 27. Cassidy said Hilton’s fifty-year career in law enforcement reflected his dedication and sense of duty to his community.
The tribute highlights the impact of Hilton’s service and the loss felt by those who knew him and worked with him. Cassidy said, “Sheriff Hilton was a sheriff in every positive, meaningful sense of the word.”
Cassidy described Hilton as steady and committed: “He was steady. He was committed. He was there to answer the call when the community needed him.” In his prepared remarks, Cassidy noted that law enforcement for Hilton was more than just a job—it was a calling lived every day.
Hilton is remembered as a devoted husband, father, and grandfather whose family supported him through long work weeks. Cassidy recounted that even after retiring in 2008, Hilton returned to serve two more terms before retiring again in 2020 after fifty years in law enforcement.
Cassidy also recalled attending a ceremony with Hilton following a police ambush in Baton Rouge where several officers were killed or wounded. Reflecting on their conversations about policing, Cassidy quoted Hilton: “When you’re fighting crime, it’s like mowing the grass. You never stop, you just have to keep on going.” The senator concluded by requesting a moment of silence for Hilton.
Cassidy is known for co-founding the Greater Baton Rouge Community Clinic to deliver free health and dental care according to his official website. He has also advanced initiatives focused on reducing health care costs and reforming mental health systems according to his official website. His background includes undergraduate and medical degrees from Louisiana State University according to his official website, committee roles such as chairing Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee according to his official website, as well as work supporting coastal restoration efforts.
