State Sen. Gerald Boudreaux has issued a statement about the departure of Lafayette's most recent police chief.
Thomas Glover Sr. was relieved of his duties 10 months after he started. Lafayette is now on its fourth police chief since Mayor-President Josh Guillory took office.
Boudreaux, who had been the city's recreation and parks director for decades before he left LCG after Guillory took over, issued the statement Monday. It's directed at Glover.
"You have provided the local media with specific details and information relative to your ultimate departure as the Chief of Police in Lafayette. I acknowledge the civil service rules that mandate a twelve month working or probationary period for the position that you applied for and was hired by a community panel in late 2020. The silence from this administration attempts to stain or tarnish your thirty-six plus years of service in law enforcement. The lack of a response implies that you have violated the oath of office; that you have done something illegal or wrong," Boudreaux's statement reads.
"Your career has been without controversy and your integrity beyond approach which apparently led to you being selected as the third Chief of Police in the past two years for the City of Lafayette. This community and your family deserves a public response on your performance and should not be told by a media relations employee that this is a “personnel matter," he continues.
The chief's position is not a "political football," Boudreaux writes.
"To our Lafayette Community, I simply state that we cannot remain silent and be in denial about law enforcement issues. There has to be accountability and transparency at every level and step of the process. The rules of respect and dignity have to be applied to all of the stakeholders. An action plan to combat crime and violence must be developed and communicated," Boudreaux writes. "The fact of the matter is since January 2020, we had a Chief that remained on board for twenty days, an interim Chief was appointed for 11 months and the third Chief was hired and dismissed after 10 months of service. Without stability in the Chief of Police’s office we will continue to witness the escalation of crime and violence while the appointing authority remain silent. The office of the Chief of Police should not be compromised by anyone at any time. It is not a political football, it is the office that ensures accountability and transparency of law enforcement in our community."
You can see the complete statement here:
