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Meet the candidates running for Rayne police chief

Posted at 9:38 PM, Oct 25, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-25 22:38:36-04

In Acadia Parish, Rayne voters will decide who will be their police chief during the November 6th election.

The current police chief and a former Rayne officer are both vying to fill the seat.

Eddie Guidry was a Rayne police officer for more than 20 years. He resigned in April to run for police chief.

“Our main focus from day one of the campaign was to get out and meet the community and give them our message. And I believe they’re ready for a change,” said Guidry.

He believes his years on the police force and working with the community gives him the experience he needs to be a good leader for the department.

“The community is looking for a leader that is going to be involved in our community and a leader that is fair and equal to all, a leader that is stern as far as law enforcement. We want our department to grow, where we need it, as far as in patrol,” he said.

Chief Carroll Stelly has spent the last four decades with the city’s police department, including the last 12 years as chief.

“My whole life, my career has been right here in the City of Rayne,” said Stelly.

He said he’s seeking re-election because he enjoys serving the community and hopes to continue providing safety for Rayne’s residents.

“When I came into this office, the department was in bad shape. Since that time, we’ve brought in proactive training for the officers, we’ve upgraded equipment and technology, and also go out there and do drug enforcement in the community,” he said.