Bunkie Council rejects police officer promotion, 3-2

There was a promise of “fireworks” at last Thursday’s (April 11) Bunkie City Council meeting.

The main display was short-circuited when three council members shot down a motion to discuss the “job performance of an employee.” However, there were still a few Roman candles and firecrackers to liven things up.

Under the state Open Meetings Law, the employee to be discussed has the right to have that usually-closed discussion conducted in public. That is apparently what would have happened had council members Travis Armand, Brenda Sampson and Lem Thomas not snuffed the fuse on the expected grand fireworks display.

Prior to that vote, Police Chief Scotty Ferguson had Auxiliary Patrolman Tim Gilbert conduct a slide show for the audience and council showing drugs, drug paraphernalia, weapons and drug-related money confiscated in arrests over the past three months.

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For those “not in the know,” it appeared to be part of the Police Department’s monthly report. However, it became evident later that it was likely related to the proposed personnel discussion -- which, in turn, was apparently related to Ferguson’s recommendation to promote Gilbert to a full-time narcotics detective/criminal patrolman.

Armand told the crowd he wanted to explain the reasons behind his votes. He said he voted against the personnel discussion because it “would have been a fiasco” and “a circus.” He said he always votes for what he believes is best for Bunkie, even if that vote is unpopular.

Armand told the crowd he is “privy to information you do not know.” That, he said, was why he voted against the proposed promotion.

Resident Francis Keller said if the council members “have a magic silver bullet” to resolve the controversy, they should have allowed the discussion of Gilbert’s job performance instead of scuttling it.

‘WATCH THIS VOTE’

One member of the audience told the crowd, “Watch this vote and remember it when they come up for re-election.”

Sampson said she has never cast a vote in a council meeting based on whether it would gain or lose votes at election time. She said she votes based on what she believes is right and best for her constituents.

“If they don’t agree with me, then someone else will sit in this seat for the next four years,” she added.

One man questioned why the council would reject Ferguson’s recommendation and “keep him from doing his job.”

Another noted the slide show and said Gilbert has been doing a good job of getting drugs and weapons off Bunkie’s streets and should be allowed to be a full-time officer.

“We’ve been crying for law enforcement for four years,” one man lamented, “and now you’re crying because we have law enforcement.”

Ferguson said he is only trying to fulfill a campaign promise he made to fight a serious drug problem in Bunkie. He believes Gilbert is a good officer that can help him keep that promise.

“It's like the people who are supposed to be helping us are fighting against us,” he said after the meeting.