An investigation into Youngsville Police Chief Rickey Boudreaux has been put on hold for at least a few months as the city's leadership seeks a ruling over whether their plan is legally sound.
The Youngsville City Council on Thursday was set to vote on a resolution authorizing City Attorney Wade Trahan to contract with a law firm to conduct an independent investigation into the police chief on behalf of the city. The council unanimously voted to table the matter until its next regularly scheduled meeting on May 11.
Trahan said he and Boudreaux's attorney, Pat McGee, plan to seek a declaratory judgment in the 15th Judicial District Court over whether this kind of investigation is permissible because state law limits the authority a city's mayor and council have over an elected police chief.
"I think this is the most prudent route that you as a council can do," Trahan said.
The possible investigation into the police chief and his agency comes after public outcry over the handling of a November crash involving a former councilwoman who may have received special treatment.
"Our council has heard enough outcry to feel that this is the appropriate step to move forward in," Youngsville Mayor Ken Ritter said.
The judgment, the request for which has yet to be filed, will take at least two months to be issued, Trahan said.
"I don't expect the investigation to start until the end of the summer or the beginning of the fall," Trahan said after Thursday's meeting.
In the meantime, Boudreaux will remain in his elected position. Boudreaux said during a special March 30 meeting, during which the council unanimously voted to investigate him, that he would not resign or take administrative leave during the investigation.
Ritter encouraged the council to seek a declaratory judgment and noted there are also other mechanisms available in the meantime.
"If there's smoking guns, there's investigators that can come in. I hope they don't come to my office, but they're welcome to come in," Ritter said. "There's also recalls. If there's public outrage, where's the recall?"
A few members of the community addressed the council before the matter was tabled.
Among those was George Knox, the former city attorney for Youngsville, who pointed to a Louisiana attorney general's opinion from 2014 that said a mayor and board of aldermen were not authorized to conduct an investigation into the elected police chief of Eunice. Knox recommended the council and mayor request an opinion before proceeding and "expending public tax dollars."
Another person who addressed the council during Thursday's meeting said she has concerns about the police chief remaining in his position while he's focused the investigation.
Debra Dugas said she has called Boudreaux 10 times in the past month with a concern about how one of his officers handled a situation. Dugas also said she requested officer body camera footage and was told there was an issue with the camera from the night in question.
"This man is not handling his cases now because of this," Dugas said. "He needs to step down while this is going on or take care of his business."
Ritter acknowledged that he had received a certified letter from Dugas about the matter and would reach out. Boudreaux said his officers tried to follow up on the situation, but when they arrived at her house around 9:30 p.m. one day, Dugas asked them to return another time because she was in bed.
Craig Comeaux asked the council why taxpayer dollars are being spent on an investigation when an investigation could be done by another agency if there are suspected ethics violations or suspected broken laws.
Amy Viator spoke in support of Boudreaux, saying the police chief has looked out for her safety since she moved to Youngsville in 2018.
"He's been an amazing part of this community," Viator said. "Even though you may not like some of the choices he makes, I feel that we voted this man in. We voted someone who is a steady rock and is always there for the community."
The council decision to investigate the police chief came days after an Acadiana Advocate story last month detailing how former Youngsville Councilwoman Kayla Menard Reaux called Boudreaux from the scene of a November crash and left without receiving a citation or sobriety test. Reaux announced her resignation on March 30 from the elected position she had held since 2021.
The council's March 30 resolution to investigate Boudreaux says the investigation is to span from the time Boudreaux first took office in 2015 through the present day. A human resources law firm from outside of the Acadiana region is to conduct the investigation. Once the firm's investigation is completed, the city would receive the findings and the council would decide if any findings in the report warrant additional investigation.
Just one of six law firms approached by the city attorney about the investigation returned materials before Thursday's meeting, Trahan said. Two or three more are expected to send packages detailing the cost of conducting such an investigation in the coming days, he said.
The council also decided during Thursday's meeting not to appoint someone to fill Reaux's vacant seat, instead tabling the item to allow more time to review applications from 11 people. A special meeting is expected to take place next week to address the matter.
Council member Lindy Bolgiano voted against the proposal to table the issue, saying there's no need for the council to drag its feet or spend taxpayer dollars on a special meeting. Council members Matt Romero, Ken Stansbury and Simone Champagne voted to approve it, citing the need for more time to speak with the applicants for Reaux's seat to make an informed decision.