Turkey Creek chief of police gives update since his appointment

A month into his new position of chief of police for Turkey Creek, Ben Bordelon on Tuesday night updated the council on his department actions since he assumed the position.
Over the last month, according to Chief Bordelon, a total of 46 tickets were written. Twenty-eight of which are for the March court date, and the other 18 are for the April date.
As for tickets, the chief reported the new software has been installed on all the computers along with laptops and printers installed in the units.
Other new equipment for the police department are body cameras which will be installed by tomorrow, Monday, February 25.
Mayor Phillip Cavins explained, “The new software and equipment is not only going to help us in case something happens but will also save our clerk Melissa (Ferguson) and our chief time everyday instead of entering every ticket manually. The information will be on a thumb drive, and we can do everything at the click of a button.”
Chief Bordelon added his department, because of the new equipment, will “upload everything” for the village clerk.
According to the mayor, the software will be free for the village if the department processes a minimum of $3,000.00 in fines each month. “At the rate we’re going,” he said, “it will not cost us anything to transition to this new software.”
Also in his report, the chief stated his department has started patrolling around businesses when they open and close and is “looking to add night patrols.”
The chief added, “We’re also going to look for another unit through grants that way we can hire another officer, and we’re trying to find someone specifically to work on narcotics.”
The council heard from Evangeline Chamber of Commerce Director Renee Brown who is starting the chamber’s outreach programs around the parish. She informed the council on business and tourism happenings and about ways the chamber can assist people in the Turkey Creek community.
She also addressed a specific need for the village which is infrastructure. “I have been working with DOTD (Department of Transportation and Development) to find out what’s going on with your highway here and also Hwy. 167 and La. 10,” she said. “We’re in talks to find out what we can do at this point, and we’re doing some reevaluation because funds are not there.”
Brown added she met with DOTD three weeks prior to Tuesday’s council meeting in Turkey Creek. “They reminded us then you are at the top of the agenda, and it is a lot because of Congressman Mike Johnson having come in and seeing these roads,” she said. “He wants to be able to help out with this, and he is.”
Councilman Neal King thanked Brown for her efforts in the highways and said, “That’s good news, and it’s encouraging because it’s hard to keep a front end lined up.”
In other business, the council heard from candidate for Evangeline Parish Sheriff Charles Guillory and candidate for the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 38 Phil Lemoine.