ST. MARTIN PARISH — St. Martinville Police Chief Ricky Martin has announced his retirement after eight years leading the department, marking the end of a tenure he says has been defined by service, community support, and major departmental initiatives.
Martin said the decision reflects a natural transition after years in leadership. “We all get to that point in life, or in our career where you realize that you’ve done what you needed to do and it’s time to pass the torch on to somebody with fresh ideas and a new outlook on things and hopefully they can bring the department to another level,” Martin said.
During his time as chief, Martin highlighted several accomplishments, including the creation of Team Martin, a program designed to help first responders better identify and assist individuals with cognitive disabilities during emergencies. “And that’s one of the things I’m proudest of is that program, right there cause it wasn’t just me, it was the entire department. The entire Parish, they kind of accepted it and took off running with it,” Martin said.
He also credited strong partnerships within local government for supporting the department’s work. “The last four years with Mayor Willis has been a changing life experience for me, not only personally but, professionally, he’s brought me to a different level,” Martin said.
St. Martinville Mayor Jason Willis echoed that sentiment, pointing to collaboration between city leadership and the police department. “We wanted to make sure our city is safe, and we was able to accomplish that together so funding was a great part of it, meaning that we had to give them the equipment that they needed to do their jobs,” Willis said.
Martin is expected to remain in his position through July before transitioning to a role with the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office.
As he prepares to step down, Martin said his years in the department have left a lasting impact. “I have to say in my eight years as chief, I can truly stand here and say, I have had humungous support from the community,” he said.
Martin added that he is grateful for his time in St. Martinville and is looking forward to his next chapter with the Sheriff’s Office.
