CHURCH POINT, La. (KLFY)- UPDATE: Church Point Police Chief Dale Thibodeaux released statement on what happened at Magistrate Court on Monday evening.
In a posting on the Church Point Police Facebook page, Chief ThIbodeaux said he and “his officers did in fact walk out of the magistrate court proceedings (Monday night). This is due to several issues discussed by the Mayor, Magistrate and myself concerning several ongoing problems going on in Magistrate Court which I will not get into at this time.”
ORIGINAL STORY: A controversial incident happened Monday evening in the courtroom of the town of Church Point.
The chief of police and his officers got up and walked out of the courtroom when one particular case was found not guilty by the judge.
One witness present said, “It’s like it was the biggest form of unprofessionalism that I ever seen and that is of no way service to the public.”
Leon Thibodeaux was in court yesterday evening in Church Point. He said the court room was filled with people.
After about three or four cases were read by the prosecutor, that’s when things took a turn.
“When this young lady came up and the prosecutor read the charges and they presented the evidence, as soon as the verdict came from the judge of not guilty, that’s when I seen the biggest form of unprofessionalism from a public servant,” explained Thibodeaux.
According to Thibodeaux, when the not guilty verdict was read, Church Point Police Chief Dale Thibodeaux ordered all of his officers not only out of the court room, but off the premises— leaving Judge Brad Andrus to cancel court.
“These officers are there because they’re the ones who wrote the citations, and they’re subpoenaed to testify on behalf of the town and the state to the facts of whatever the citation that they wrote,” said Thibodeaux.
News 10 asked, “When this certain case was read not guilty, he (police chief) just got up and left? Were there any words exchanged?”
“No,” replied Thibodeaux. “I didn’t hear any words exchanged between him and the judge or him and the mayor or him and the council. I heard nothing. I heard the verdict of not guilty and then within a minute or so all officers just followed him out the building.”Thibodeaux says the court was stunned.
“The chief of police when this happened, he left the judge, the mayor, the council to their own vices. No protection, no security, whatsoever.”Thibodeaux doesn’t know what the case was about, but says what the chief did is gross malfeasance in office.
News 10 reached out to Police Chief Dale Thibodeaux. He told us no comment at this time.
Mayor Ryan ‘Spanky’ Meche said he was advised to not comment due to an investigation into the chief and his officers actions.
We have not heard back from the Town’s Attorney, Brad Andrus, as of newstime.