West Monroe Mayor Staci Mitchell defended her decision to ask a local businessman with a history of drug and gun offenses to help her interview applicants for the job of police chief this week.
Mitchell told The Ouachita Citizen the police hiring advisory committee, including West Monroe businessman Christopher Lewis, was a “diverse representation of the community.”
Interviews are scheduled this week in light of Jeff Terrell’s retirement as police chief earlier this month. Terrell had served as police chief since 2013. Mitchell appointed West Monroe Police Maj. David May to serve as the interim police chief until Mitchell appoints a police chief for the West Monroe Board of Aldermen’s consideration.
Four applicants took the police chief exam last week: West Monroe Police Capt. Charles “C.J.” Beck; Chad Michael Gremillion, with Louisiana State Police; West Monroe Police Sgt. William “Tommy” Jones; and Green Oaks Juvenile Detention Center Director Jason Pleasant.
West Monroe Police Det. Justin Cummings, who chairs West Monroe’s police civil service board, said the applicants’ police chief exam will be scored by the Office of State Examiner.
“One would hope that would happen quickly,” Cummings said.
As previously reported, Mitchell asked Lewis to serve on the police hiring advisory committee to represent local businesses. He owns and operates a local restaurant.
He was arrested on charges including illegal use of weapons and distributing cocaine, twice in 2007 and once in 2021. Some of his criminal charges have since been expunged and other charges were dismissed by Fourth Judicial District Attorney Steve Tew.
When asked about her decision to keep Lewis on the committee, Mitchell said, “Mr. Lewis is a successful minority business owner and is well-liked and community minded. The committee is comprised of a diverse representation of the community. The committee is advisory only.”
LEWIS BACKGROUND
Lewis was arrested for illegal use of a weapon in May 2007 and arrested one month later for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute as well as for one count of attempt and conspiracy, court records show.
Lewis’ June 2007 arrest for suspected distribution of cocaine involved the same restaurant he now owns—Coney Island Connection on North 7th Street.
Court records showed that, in 2007, Lewis admitted during questioning that he kept cocaine under the bed of a woman who worked at Coney Island Connection and that he sold the drug. Officers found residue from crack cocaine on dinner plates under the bed.
Later, in April 2021, Lewis was stopped for a traffic violation, though Ouachita Parish sheriff’s deputies detected the smell of marijuana from Lewis’ automobile. After a search, deputies found two handguns in Lewis’ car and charged him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Lewis was ultimately able to expunge his criminal charges from 2007. Last year, Tew dismissed the 2021 charge for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
COMMITTEE MEETING
The police hiring advisory committee is expected to meet Thursday (today) at noon in the Board of Aldermen’s chambers at West Monroe City Hall. The meeting will be open to the public.
“The Police Hiring Advisory Committee will meet to further discuss what they would like to see in a police chief from each of their perspectives,” Mitchell said. “The committee will finalize the questions that will be asked to each candidate and then conduct interviews. After the interviews, the Advisory members will give their notes to me.”
According to Mitchell, the police hiring advisory committee would agree on the same list of questions to be posed to each police chief applicant.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
The police hiring advisory committee is made up of 14 members who were appointed by Mitchell, Terrell and members of the Board of Aldermen among others.
They are Mitchell, city human resources manager Denise Calhoun, Mitchell’s chief of staff Courtney Hornsby, West Monroe High School assistant principal Dan Lane, Jared Ramsey (District 1), Dr. Richard Laban (District 2), Grace Lee (District 3), Robin Johnson (at large), Gail Autrey (at large), Lewis, Ouachita Parish sheriff’s Maj. Jay Ellerman, Monroe Police Lt. Sean Reddick, West Monroe Police Cpl. John Allen, and West Monroe Police Officer McGregor Townsend.
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