Lafayette Consolidated Government recently announced the reinstatement of the Lafayette Park Police in partnership with the Lafayette City Marshal’s Office.
The new City Marshal’s Parks Patrol Division will encompass 30 parks spanning nearly 1,300 acres and 10 recreation centers, according to a news release from LCG.
“Our parks are a vital part of our community, and ensuring public safety throughout Lafayette is a top priority,” said Lafayette Mayor-President Monique Boulet in a statement. “By enhancing police visibility and re-establishing a dedicated Parks Patrol Division, we are taking proactive steps to maximize resources, address community concerns, and ensure our parks remain safe, welcoming spaces we can all enjoy.”
In 2020, former Mayor-President Josh Guillory disbanded the park police, which included a chief and five officers as part of a wider cost-cutting campaign that eliminated 138 positions from the LCG payroll.
Guillory, who also in 2020 announced the closing of four recreation centers in predominantly Black neighborhoods of north Lafayette, was widely criticized for the elimination of park police, especially after a shooting in October 2020 in Moore Park in which four people were shot, two fatally.
The restructured operation will provide daily patrol coverage with commissioned officers. The Parks Patrol Division will initially consist of four deputies commissioned by the Marshal’s Office.
Substations will be established at key locations, including the Martin Luther King Recreation Center (Dorsey Park), Girard Recreation Center (Girard Park) and Comeaux Recreation Center (Beaullieu Park), to ensure deputies can efficiently respond to incidents while also leveraging these existing spaces for necessary reporting. Additionally, the Marshal’s Office will manage event security for smaller functions at parks and recreation centers, allowing the Lafayette Police Department to focus on large-scale events.
“This collaboration allows us to continue building trust within our community," said Lafayette City Marshal Reggie Thomas in a statement. "By joining forces with the Lafayette Police Department, we can ensure our residents feel safe and supported in our parks, knowing there will be no tolerance for crime.”
Initial funding for the initiative will come from American Rescue Plan Act funds, which will cover start-up expenses, including equipment, training, uniforms and marked vehicles equipped with lights, sirens and technology to assist in park operations. The city will manage ongoing salary and benefits for the officers, while the Marshal's Office will handle other associated expenses, including continuous training in alignment with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.