HLS 24RS-319 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 184
BY REPRESENTATIVE MCFARLAND
POLICE/MUNICIPAL: Provides relative to police services in the village of Calvin
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 33:381(C)(36), relative to the village of Calvin and Winn Parish; to authorize
3 the abolition of the office of police chief and the police department in the village of
4 Calvin; to authorize making the police chief an appointed position; to authorize the
5 town to contract with other law enforcement entities in the parish for law
6 enforcement services; and to provide for related matters.
7 Notice of intention to introduce this Act has been published
8 as provided by Article III, Section 13 of the Constitution of
9 Louisiana.
10Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
11 Section 1. R.S. 33:381(C)(36) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
12 ยง381. Municipal officers
13 * * *
14 C.
15 * * *
16 (36)(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the board
17 of aldermen of the village of Calvin may, upon recommendation of the mayor,
18 abolish the office of chief of police of the village or determine that the chief shall not
19 be elected at large but shall be appointed by the board upon recommendation of the
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 24RS-319 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 184
1 mayor. No such action by the board shall be effective until the end of the term of the
2 police chief in office at the time of the action or when a vacancy occurs in the office.
3 (b) If the office of chief of police is abolished and the municipal police
4 department is abolished pursuant to R.S. 33:362(C), the village may contract with
5 or enter into a cooperative endeavor agreement with any law enforcement entity or
6 officer within Winn Parish for police services for the village. If the office of chief
7 of police is made appointive, the term of office and salary of the chief shall be
8 determined by the board of aldermen upon recommendation of the mayor.
9 * * *
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 184 Original 2024 Regular Session McFarland
Abstract: Provides for the abolition of the office of police chief or the appointment of the
police chief in the village of Calvin and authorizes the municipality to contract for
law enforcement services.
Present law provides that the officers of every municipality governed by the provisions of
the Lawrason Act (mayor-board of alderman form of government) shall be a mayor,
aldermen, a chief of police, a tax collector, and a clerk.
Present law provides for at-large election of the mayor and police chief in all municipalities.
Further provides for exceptions with respect to the chief of police in certain municipalities.
Proposed law provides an exception for the office of police chief in the village of Calvin.
Provides that the board of aldermen may, upon recommendation of the mayor, abolish the
office of police chief or determine that the chief shall be appointed rather than elected.
Provides that such an action is not effective until the end of the term of the police chief in
office at the time of that action or when a vacancy occurs in the office.
Present law (R.S. 33:362(C)) provides that any department of such a municipality, other than
the police department in a municipality with an elected chief of police, shall be created,
abolished, merged, or consolidated by the board of aldermen, upon the written
recommendation of the mayor.
Proposed law provides that, if the office of police chief and the police department are
abolished pursuant to proposed law and present law, the mayor and board of aldermen may
contract with any law enforcement entity or officer within Winn Parish for police services.
(Adds R.S. 33:381(C)(36))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.