The Sunset Police Chief must put an employee back to work, a state district judge ordered on Friday.
Earlier this month, the town filed a petition for a Write of Mandamus, which in plain terms usually is an effort to force or order a public official to do something that they are required by law to do.
Sunset is a Louisiana town that operates under a state law called the Lawrason Act, which sets up a structure for certain municipalities to operate under. It gives certain powers to certain elected officials or bodies.
In that petition, the town alleged that Sunset Police Chief Corey Fairchild had wanted to terminate someone in his department, but the town council decided in a January 8 meeting that the employee should not be terminated.
But Fairchild removed the employee from the department work schedule, the petition alleges.
"By removing the Subject Employee from the work schedule, Defendant effectively fired, suspended or disciplined the employee in direct contravention of the Mayor and Town Council's lawful decision and without any statutory authority to do so," the petition states.
After he was asked to place the employee on the schedule, and he didn't, the town filed the petition on February 2.
Town Attorney Christopher D. Granger, who filed the petition, confirmed to KATC Friday afternoon that the judge had granted the writ. The next step would be to have Fairchild served with the Court's order, he said.
Fairchild did not appear for the hearing, and no attorney appeared on his behalf, Granger said.
We tried to call Fairchild; we left a voice mail and we'll update this story should we hear back from him.
