Marksville mayor extends assistant police chief appointment

When Revs. Charles Guillory and Allen Holmes went to the podium during the “delegations” item on the July 17 Marksville City Council agenda, the council and audience were braced for criticism of the “90-day” appointment of Jason Brouillette as assistant chief.

Mayor John Lemoine had even set the table a few minutes earlier, renewing Brouillette’s initial 90-day appointment by another 90 days.

But the speakers politely decided to skip dinner and asked only that the city follow proper procedure in filling the position.

Guillory said he was addressing the council on behalf of several citizens who have questions about how the assistant chief’s position was filled.

“We want you as mayor to be successful,” Guillory told Lemoine. He said citizens are concerned that good government principles and the application of proper procedures need to be used in filling high-level positions.

Guillory said nobody would have a problem if Brouillette retained his current rank and salary and was merely assigned duties as an “internal affairs investigator.”

That is what Lemoine called the position when he sought an attorney general’s opinion on whether he had authority to make an appointment without council approval. He used the attorney general’s opinion that he had such authority to name Brouillette as assistant chief for 90 days.

Guillory closed his comments by asking whether this current procedure has been used to fill such positions in the past or is this a deviation from past procedures; if Brouillette has received or will receive a pay increase; and if he has received a promotion in rank?

Holmes said citizens have called him about the current issue. He noted the issue was first raised and defeated on a 3-3 tie of the council. Lemoine is also a voting member of the council under Marksville’s City Charter.

Lemoine sought the attorney general’s opinion, since it was likely the tie would not be broken, and made the appointment.

Holmes said he is telling people to call their council member if they have questions about how the alderman voted or why they have not raised objections to the appointment.

“We want to work with y’all,” Holmes said. “We also want to be able to answer any questions from the public that we may receive.”

Holmes said the concerns and questions raised “are not of race or color. It is a question of procedure.”

Lemoine said he doesn’t understand why Marksville “is the only town being put under a microscope about appointments.” He said all mayors have the authority to make temporary appointments.

“I did this for public safety,” the mayor said.

Lemoine said incidents of individuals shooting firearms in city neighborhoods stopped since Brouillette was appointed assistant chief/internal affairs investigator.

Lemoine said he selected Brouillette for the position in large part for his past professional work with federal narcotics and U.S. Marshal’s agencies. He said the rash of shooting guns in the neighborhoods had become a serious safety issue.

“When these bullets go up, they have to come down,” he said.

Lemoine said he felt it was especially important to have a qualified officer in a position of assistant chief because Police Chief Elster Smith will soon be on medical leave and the Police Department needs someone to be able to fill that role while he is out.

Holmes said that if that happens, he only asks that the mayor and council follow proper procedure.