LAW OFFICE OF

THOMAS K. REGAN

(337) 783-7141

ATTORNEY AT LAW

THOMAS K. REGAN

P.O. DRAWER 688

CROWLEY, LA 70527-0688

525 WEST COURT CIRCLE

FACSIMILE (337) 783-7101

thomaskregan@hotmail.com

October 6, 2014
FILE NO.

2308-C
VIA EMAIL
Mrs. Theresa Richard

Re:

Public Records Request

City Charter

Dear Mrs. Richard:

I have been asked to assist the City Clerk in order to respond to your Public
Records Request submitted on October 2, 2014 (email attached). Mrs. Istre responded to
your question from Wednesday, October 1, 2014, requesting copies of Louisiana Law that
she is not the custodian of state laws and suggested that such information is available
through state officers which maintain those records. On the following date (October 2,
2014), you requested copies of resolutions of the Board of Aldermen requesting
exemptions to the City Charter and questions regarding the number of police officers who
have either been hired, disciplined, fired, etc. without action by the Mayor and Board of
Aldermen during a regular or special meeting of the City Council.
The City Clerk has made a search of the minutes of the regular and special
meetings of the City of Crowley and finds there are no resolutions requesting amendments
or changes in the Charter of the City of Crowley. However, in response to your question
of today (October 6, 2014) regarding resolutions requesting action of the Louisiana
Legislature for exemption to laws, the Clerk was able to locate two resolutions supporting
or requesting legislative action regarding the authority of the Chief of Police. Copies are
attached.
I was asked to assist the City Clerk in responding to your questions regarding the
number of police officers hired, disciplined, terminated, etc. Your question is somewhat
broad however a search of the Clerks records reveals that it does not appear the
recommendations of the Chief of Police with respect to hiring, disciplinary action and
firing personnel, etc. were submitted to the Board of Aldermen since the end of 2005. It
appears beginning in 2006, the Mayor acting as the appointing authority approved
recommendations by the Chief of Police with regard to police officer hiring, disciplinary
action, firing, etc.

Presently there are 41 budgeted slots authorized for police officers and there are 41
police officers employed by the City of Crowley. In order to answer the questions you
posed regarding the number of personnel actions (hiring, discipline, firing, etc.) taken with
respect to individual officers, it appears a manual search of the Civil Service
Records/personnel files will be necessary since these actions are not electronically indexed.
According to the City Clerk and the Chief of Police, a search of each individual Civil
Service Personnel Action Forms will be required to determine those numbers in the
categories which you requested. That search has commenced and the results will be
available to you as soon as we have them. We anticipate it will take three to five business
days to complete the search. I want to thank you for bring this matter to our attention in
order to correct any errors or omissions which may have occurred during the process.
In further answering your request for information, the police officers are employed
under Civil Service and the elected Chief of Police has the authority to make
recommendations concerning all personnel decisions regarding employment of police
officers. The final action must be taken by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen. It does
appear that since 2006, eligible persons were employed under Civil Service and filled the
slots in accordance with Civil Service rules. However, the Mayor acting as the governing
authority signed all Personnel Action Forms after receiving them from the Chief of Police.
Again, I wish to thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. I assure you a
thorough search is under way and we will provide you with that information as soon as it is
available.
Sincerely,
s/Thomas K. Regan____________________
Thomas K. Regan
City Attorney
TKR:sb
cc
Hon. Greg A. Jones, Mayor (via email)
Hon. Judy L. Istre, City Clerk (via email)
Hon. K.P. Gibson, Chief of Police (via email)
s/2014/city/2308/corr/5.18