Louisiana Town Lays Off Their Entire Police Force

(KHLA - Lake Charles, Louisiana) - A Louisiana town has had to lay off all of its police officers due to serious budgetary issues and financial troubles.

The police chief is the only law enforcement officer left in town.

Get our free mobile app

Elton Mayor Mike Pierrotti stated on Thursday that the police chief had fired policemen on Wednesday because the agency had gone over budget and was unable to continue operations, including paying staff.

Mayor Pierrotti said that his office had sent an email to the police chief letting him know he was over budget and that he wanted to meet with him to come up with a "game plan", however, that didn't happen.

READ MORE: Farmer’s Almanac Predicts First Frost For Louisiana

READ MORE: How Louisiana SNAP Users Can Earn Extra for Produce

The mayor is hopeful that they can resolve their town's financial situation before the current budget ends on Dec. 31, so that the layoffs are just temporary.

Bruce Lemelle, the 14-year veteran police chief, revealed that two dispatchers and three active police officers had been let go.

Residents have been voicing their concerns to Mayor Pierrotti and Chief Lemelle about the possibility of increased crime and a decrease in safety.

As of now, response times may be delayed, but the town of Elton will receive law enforcement assistance from the Jeff Davis Parish Sheriff's Office.

Ever since the Coushatta Tribe's gaming compact funds were lost, Elton has struggled financially.

To read more about this story, click here.