Editor, The Era-Leader:
Is the third time the charm?
Franklinton Police Chief Justin Brown is in the newspaper, again! Wow, this poor guy can't just do his job.
It seems that someone “anonymously” lodged an ethics complaint against Chief Brown concerning the FEMA funding of police officers as emergency compensation during Hurricane Ida and the aftermath. All the officers who turned in hours, as did Chief Brown, were compensated, but he is the only one who has an “ethics complaint” lodged against him. Hmmmmmmm.......
As noted in the newspaper article, Chief Brown said that “whoever filed the complaint either had access to the Town of Franklinton's payroll records, or received town payroll information from someone who had access.”
And, also, Mayor Greg Route approved the emergency pay.
So, if Mayor Route had approval authority, why isn't he named in the ethics complaint too?
As the complaint can be made with anonymity, Chief Brown can't face his accuser.....just yet.
Let's run down the scorecard for some memory refreshment:
Soon after Greg Route is elected mayor, he attempts to remove Chief Brown from his position. Mayor Route's board of aldermen tells him he doesn't have the authority by himself, but he goes ahead anyway. Then the State of Louisiana Attorney General tells Mayor Route he doesn't have the authority by himself and he backs down.
Then some months later, Mayor Route, without Chief Brown's knowledge or any consultation from him, promotes three officers going against the written policies of the police department. Again, the mayor is advised that while he may promote these officers, he cannot authorize an increase in their pay without the approval of a budget and the board of alderman.
And, now Chief Brown has to deal with an anonymously submitted ethics complaint.
A complaint is not an indictment nor is it a guilty verdict. It is simply a complaint. Hmmmmmmm.......
Given the past actions of Mayor Route concerning the Franklinton Police Department, what, friend and neighbor, can we logically derive from this? I leave you to form your own opinion.
I will leave you with this piece of scripture from Psalms:
“For the evildoers shall be cut off, But those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth.” Psalms 37:9 NKJV.
Ben M Sarro, Richardson, LA
