Provides for the abolition of the office of police chief and police department in the village of Hall Summit
Summary
HB 284 creates a narrow exception in Louisiana law for the village of Hall Summit in Red River Parish. Under the bill, the village’s board of aldermen, on recommendation of the mayor, may abolish the office of chief of police. The abolition does not take effect immediately; it must wait until the current chief’s term ends or the office becomes vacant, unless the office is temporarily filled, in which case the timing is set by ordinance.
The bill also allows Hall Summit to abolish its municipal police department under existing law and, if that occurs, to contract with or enter into a cooperative endeavor agreement with another law enforcement entity or officer within Red River Parish for police services. In practical terms, the measure gives the village flexibility to replace a local police structure with contracted law enforcement coverage.
Impact
HB 284 amends R.S. 33:381 by adding a Hall Summit-specific exception to the general Lawrason Act framework governing municipal officers and police departments. It changes state law only for this village, authorizing local officials to eliminate the elected/appointed police chief office and, if applicable, the police department, while preserving a transition period tied to the incumbent’s term or vacancy. It also authorizes alternative policing arrangements through contracts or cooperative agreements with parish law enforcement providers.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong support for the bill: it passed the House on final passage by a vote of 96-0. No committee transcript is available, but the unanimous floor vote suggests the measure was viewed as a practical local-government adjustment rather than a controversial statewide policy change. The bill’s narrow, locality-specific scope likely contributed to the broad support.
Contention
There is no recorded opposition in the provided materials, and no committee debate is available. The main policy issue implicit in the bill is the shift away from a locally maintained police chief and department toward contracted law enforcement services, which could raise questions about local control, service continuity, and accountability. However, the unanimous vote indicates that any such concerns did not generate visible contention in the House.