Bunkie Council upset that terminated police officer back at work

There are still obviously more thorns than roses in the relationship between City Hall and Police Chief Bobby Corner, but officials seemed committed to working together to find an accord to resolve important issues. The large crowd did not have to wait long for the fireworks to begin at the Feb. 9 City Council meeting.

Councilman Travis Armand asked Police Chief Bobby Corner why a particular officer was on patrol after the council had fired him and four others in January 2016. Armand said the patrolman in question should not be working for the department.

Corner retorted that the officer was still an employee because Corner had not recommended the termination. He said the council is not following state laws concerning municipal government and the powers of an elected police chief.

City Attorney Jim Lee disagreed with Corner’s interpretation of those statutes.

“The council hires and fires ALL city employees,” Lee told council members. “You do not have to follow the chief’s recommendation.”

Corner contended the officer was wrongfully terminated by the council.

“You will not take my job away from me,” Corner thundered.

“The question posed to Chief Corner was not to debate the Lawrason Act or to ‘play gotcha,’ but praying he’d have a credible explanation,” Armand said. “He did not.”

Armand said the issue boils down to “an individual whose tenure with Bunkie Police Department had been terminated by the council a year prior, was given access to a police car, a ticket book, a badge and a weapon to patrol our streets illegitimately and uninsured.”

Mayor Mike Robertson said Bunkie’s insurance carrier, Risk Management, told him the officer will not be covered under Bunkie’s insurance policy because he had been terminated by the council.

CERTIFICATIONS LAPSED
Robertson then asked Corner if he knew five of his current officers have let their POST certification lapse. That certification is required before an officer can carry a firearm. Corner responded that the five officers are working to become recertified.

The mayor said he understands an officer has 45 days after the certification lapses to become recertified. If he misses that deadline, he must go back to a police academy for training and certification.

“It use to be one year, but the law has changed,” Robertson added.

Corner agreed that the time period had changed from one year to 45 days.

The two sides continued to squabble over the terminated officer until Robertson closed debate by telling corner that he was officially “put on notice that this is a liability to Bunkie.”

In another police matter, the council postponed hiring two dispatchers and three auxiliary policemen to review the applications. Robertson called a special meeting for Feb. 14 to address the hiring of police officers but it was after press deadline.

Councilman Greg Prudhomme said the council needs more time to review the applications because aldermen received them only two days before the meeting. He thanked Corner of cooperating with council members in providing background checks on applicants -- something the chief had refused to do in the past several months.

The council hired one full-time patrolman, Givonnie Anderson, because he went through the review process.

There was more drama at the end of the meeting as citizens complained that the City Council and police chief need to work together to provide police protection in Bunkie.

Tommy McNabb called the council-mandated review process “absurd” and said it should be scrapped.

“I want it done this week to hire officers,” McNabb shouted.

“We want to work together but we have to set policies and procedures,” Councilwoman Brenda Sampson said. “I want to be comfortable with my decision when we hire anyone, in the best interest of Bunkie.”

She said she also lives in Bunkie and understands the citizens' concerns. However, the council has asked for information from Corner that the chief did not provide.

Corner said he demands that council members respect him.

Armand responded by saying he would not vote to approve an employee with a felony record or other problems in his past and that there should not be a police officer working who has been terminated by the council.

Prudhomme said there has been progress in the working relationship with Corner. Other council members agreed and thanked Corner for providing requested information.

Robertson closed the discussion by noting that it is his responsibility to be sure the city is not put in position that could lead to lawsuits.