Statement from Mayor Hall Regarding Review of Police Chief
Alexandria, La. (Jan. 6, 2020) — On Friday, Alexandria Police Chief Jerrod King was placed on administrative leave. This is a personnel matter, and it is our policy not to discuss personnel matters publicly until our internal processes for reviewing such matters have been completed and a determination has been made about whether further action, if any, is necessary.
While this issue has attracted significant attention in the media, and especially on social media, we would ask that people refrain from making speculative assumptions and reaching conclusions until our process is completed and the results are made public. There are personal privacy and employee rights issues involved here, and we intend to follow our internal policies and processes. We expect this matter may take up to a month to complete.
In the interim, the Alexandria Police Department is in good hands under Acting Chief Farrell Gaspard, a proven leader with 32 years of experience serving the citizens of Alexandria. He comes from a police family and worked his way up through the ranks, starting as a patrol officer and working as a detective before moving into administration.
And I know the men and women of the Alexandria Police Department are devoted to their duties and will continue to work tirelessly to protect and serve the citizens of Alexandria.
I ask for your continued patience as we work through the process of resolving this matter. We do not plan to comment further until the matter is resolved.
Contact:
Jim Smilie
Communications
318.449.5038 (Office), 318.730.1683 (Cell)
jim.smilie@cityofalex.com
