Bunkie residents express concern over gunfire, vagrants

When Byron Dupuy stood up to ask Police Department officials to tell him where officers patrol, there was no one present to answer the question. Police Chief Bobby Corner did not attend the Sept. 14 City Council meeting and Assistant Chief Velvette Williams had already left.

Dupuy said he and other residents in the neighborhood around St. Anthony Catholic School are concerned about gunshots being fired and also have other police-related issues.

The latest incident occurred the night before the council meeting, when someone shot several times near his home. That was the last, but certainly not the first, time the sound of gunfire has disturbed the usually quiet neighborhood, he noted.

In addition to concern over random bullets fired in the community, Dupuy said there are vagrants living in a building on his property. He said he has to pick up liquor bottles and other trash left by the squatters.

“There are people walking in the streets,” Dupuy said. “When you ask them to move, they come at you -- almost threatening you.

"Are patrolmen told where to patrol and told not to patrol in certain areas of Bunkie,” he asked. “Every time on a scanner I hear they are in Oak Haven or Briarwood, but never in my neighborhood.”

He asked a patrolman in the meeting if Corner tells him where to go. Patrolman Clint Armand said the police chief does not tell patrolmen where to patrol. Armand said he does not mention his location on the radio because he does not want criminals to know where he is.

Williams handed out a report noting that Bunkie police had 600 calls and 195 complaints filed, made 27 arrests -- including two drug arrests -- served nine warrants and issued 57 traffic tickets.

Another resident expressed concern that there were only two drug arrests. Mayor Mike Robertson pointed out the department made eight drug arrests the previous month.

In other business, Councilman Lem Thomas requested the council look at ways to honor two Bunkie educators. Thomas said he wants Bunkie to promote a special day in honor of long-time educator and principal Warren Patterson. He said he would also like to name a city street after the late Barbara Jones, who served as a teacher, principal and Central Office administrator for many years.

Thomas said renaming a street could be costly for those living on a residential street because they would have to change their mailing addresses.

He asked if the street in Steve Sheppard Park could be renamed in Jones’ honor. However, it was noted that the street is currently named Steve Sheppard Lane.

Thomas said he will continue to research if the street name can be changed to honor Barbara Jones.