Farrell Gaspard Designated Acting Police Chief

Alexandria, La. (Jan. 5, 2020) —Assistant Chief of Police Farrell Gaspard has been named acting police chief by Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall. Alexandria Police Chief Jerrod King is currently on administrative leave.

Gaspard is a 32-year veteran with the Alexandria Police Department. In his role as assistant police chief, Gaspard works with the Police Chief on short- and long-range planning of departmental programs and activities, research and development of departmental policies and in preparing the departmental budget.

“Having worked his way up through the ranks, starting as a patrol officer and then serving with the DWI unit, detectives and in records, as well as coming from a police family, I believe Chief Gaspard has a thorough understanding of the department as well as the needs of our community,” said Mayor Hall. “I believe he will do an outstanding job in this role.”

A native of Mansura, Gaspard began his career with APD in 1988, but his interest in police work goes back much farther. “My father was a police chief in a small town, so I was raised in that field,” Gaspard said. Gaspard worked part-time with the Mansura Police Department while he was in school and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Louisiana Lafayette in 1984.

He started full-time with Mansura after graduation before joining the Alexandria Police Department as a patrolman in 1988. “I’ve actually worked every rank as I’ve moved up in my career,” Gaspard noted. He was a line office for most of his career before moving into administration in 2014 when he earned the rank of lieutenant and was named the Assistant Uniform Division Commander. From there he was promoted to Captain and named Uniform Division Commander, the largest division of the department, where he supervised line officers, DWI, traffic officers and community police officers.

Contact:
Jim Smilie
Communications
318.449.5038 (Office), 318.730.1683 (Cell)
jim.smilie@cityofalex.com