We don’t ask the questions. You do.
This election season, we’re hosting reader Q&A’s with local candidates on the November ballot in a digital town hall format. Each session connects readers with candidates for conversation about the issues that matter most to them.
Check out our Election Guide for more resources and candidate info.
Learn more about Reggie Thomas and his platform using the links below.
Readers asked. Reggie answered.
chadchardy asks: Why is your tenure as Lafayette Interim Police Chief important in your role should you win the election and touch briefly on your budgeting experience during your three decades with the City Police?
Reggie Thomas: When I was selected as Interim Chief with Lafayette Police Department, I didn’t just simply maintain the department until another Chief could be appointed. I was very familiar with the department and the direction it needed to go in order to better service our community. Accordingly, I hit the ground running. I created a team specifically dedicated to solving homicides, which solved 8 of 10 cold case homicides dating back to 2001 within six months of my appointment. I created the Community Relations Committee made up of law enforcement officers and community leaders to build trust between law enforcement and our community. This created a partnership between the community and law enforcement, and because of this our community was more willing to work with the department. These actions contributed to increasing our homicide solvability rate to more than 90%.
As both Chief and Deputy Chief of Lafayette Police Department, I managed a budget of more than $32 million dollars. Understanding budgets and where funds comes from and how funds can be used is a huge responsibility for any administrator charged with managing an agency. As Chief I had to make sure that Capital Funds were only used for Capital Items and Operation and Maintenance Funds were only used for Operations and Maintenance. I also had to understand which department needs fell under what funding category.
Lafayette City Marshal works with the same Council and Budget that I’ve worked for. I have the experience and knowledge to move our City Marshal’s Office forward on day one.
The Current asks: Reggie, as city marshal, what’s the first change or initiative you would make?
Reggie Thomas: While serving as Chief with Lafayette PD, I formed the city’s first Community Relations Committee. This committee fostered trust between law enforcement and our community. Since my departure, the committee hasn’t been maintained and now we are faced with the the dilemma of possibly losing that trust. One of the first thing I will do as the next City Marshal, is to reach out to the former members to start rebuilding that trust. Additionally, I will bring accreditation back to the Marshal’s Office through The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement. While I support the proposal of my opponents to initiate technology to remind persons having court of their hearings, I believe that the City Marshal should be a leader in our community, thereby doing more and thinking bigger. I will be an innovated leader and I will bring resources to our Marshal’s Office using grant fun
jcppi asks: What is your disciplinary record in the past as compared to the other candidates?
Reggie Thomas: I cannot speak to the disciplinary records of other candidates; however, I am very proud to state that in my more than 30 years of working in law enforcement, I’ve never been disciplined.