Mamou council considers new police hiring policy

The Mamou Town Council discussed the need to ensure people hired as full-time police officers pass drug and psychological testing, during its monthly meeting on Wednesday, March 12.
Mayor Ricky Fontenot urged the council members to approve setting requirements for new police hires, noting the town’s insurance will not cover certain damages caused by police officers who have not had psychological testing. He said the town’s insurance requires police to be tested within 45 days of being hired. If incidents involving officers who have not been tested occur, the town could be held liable, the mayor said.
Although the council was not acting in response to any specific incident, councilwoman Leisa Deshotel said there are police officers who have not had psychological testing.
Councilman Charles Reed also suggested that new officers take drug tests before being hired.
Assistant Police Chief Katina Richard, who attended the council meeting to present the monthly police activity report, said she would discus the matter with Police Chief Greg Dupuis. She also said she would be able to determine from personnel files which police officers had not had psychological examinations. She said the police department does make background tests of prospective officers online.
The town’s attorney, Peter Savoy, said he will write guidelines for the council to consider that will specify testing that new or prospective police officers must take.
In the meantime, the council decided to confirm a full-time police hire requested by Assistant Chief Richard on the condition that the new officer have a background check and drug test before being hired and have a psychological test within 45 days of being hired, as the insurance company requires.
“I think y’all are doing the right thing,” Mayor Fontenot concluded.
The council accepted the resignation of the town’s magistrate of two years, Chuck West, who told the council his run for parish district judge does not leave enough time for him to properly carry out the magistrate’s responsibilities. West said the experience he gained as magistrate will help him if he is elected district judge.
Mayor Fontenot thanked West for his service, and the council voted to accepted his resignation. The council then voted to have Tim Fontenot, who is assistant parish district attorney, the new town magistrate, after he made a short presentation to the council.
After the meeting adjourned, the new magistrate was sworn in by District Judge Thomas Fuselier, who used to be the Mamou town magistrate.
In other business, the Mamou Town Council:
•Voted to accept an ordinance it requested Savoy to draft, during last month’s council meeting, creating a four-way stop intersection at Third and Chestnut streets due to complaints by nearby residents of speeding.
•Voted to declare the town’s old, and unused, sewer plant surplus property serving no public purpose. A fabricating plant adjacent to the old sewer plant is interested in using the town’s property to expand its operations. Mayor Fontenot said the town has had the property inspected and no environmental issues had been found. Savoy will draft an ordinance for the council to formally dispose of the property.