On Tuesday the Shreveport city council will vote on Mayor Adrian Perkin’s nomination for the next permanent police chief.
On Monday the council will question the mayor’s nomination.
A big question is whether Shreveport council member Levette Fuller should participate in any questioning of the police chief nominee, much less vote on the selection.
Fuller was arrested for DWI and careless/reckless driving in the early morning hours on July 4 near her Shreveport home.
Her criminal case is pending in Caddo district court. She has entered a NOT GUILTY plea to both charges.
Her next court appearance is Oct. 16. If she does not plea guilty on that date, a trial date will be set.
If the case goes to trial the arresting Shreveport police officer will be a critical witness. That officer works for the police chief–whomever he may be on that date.
Fuller has criticized the actions of Shreveport police at a prior council meeting.
Now that she is a criminal defendant, she may be even more critical of local policing.
Fuller was one of the three council members that voted against placing the three bond propositions on the November ballot for voter consideration. This despite the fact that she campaigned on a "reduce crime" platform.
One of the 3 bond propositions provides funding for 4 police substations, demolition and rebuilding of the central police station, a new horse patrol location and new office space for the departments special investigations office.
If Fuller participates in any fashion in the selection of the next chief, she will likely be the subject of an ethics complaint.
The same is true if she makes any public statements on this subject, including social media posts.
Fuller has lectured her fellow council members repeatedly on "good government practices."
It will be interesting to see how she grades her own actions and statements on the police chief selection.