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Former Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff's deputy appointed as New Roads Police chief
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NEW ROADS - A former Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff's deputy has been confirmed as the New Roads Police chief.
The New Roads City Council appointed Cedrick Epps during a council meeting Tuesday evening.
The appointment happened exactly one month after the last chief Delaney Lee stepped down amid allegations that he had an inappropriate relationship with an officer. Assistant Chief James Johnson took over in the interim.
Epps served more than a decade as a deputy with the Pointe Coupee Sheriff's Office, and he already has plans for change.
"I want to get with the City Council to ensure that our people have the equipment that they need to do the job, along with raised salaries and man power," Epps said. "We need more bodies on patrol."
Mayor Theron Smith says Epps was an obvious choice for the role of chief. In New Roads, choosing a new leader for the police department is completely the mayor's choice. Though before voting, there was push back from a city council member and the interim chief James Johnson, that the process wasn't accessible. New Roads did not advertise or post a public job application, which Johnson says wasn't fair.
"My philosophy is that things being equal, we look within first and then we branch outwards," Mayor Theron Smith said in response. "That's what I did. I looked within the department and then began to branch outward."
James Johnson served as interim chief for a month while the spot was vacant. He was also Assistant Chief under Delaney Lee. He says during selection, he was never consulted or interviewed for the role.
"There are people who have [served as chief], who's doing it at this moment," Johnson said. "To not be afforded the opportunity to prove themselves, it's a slap in the face"
Mayor Smith says he went through the a thorough process and says his choice makes sense.
James Johnson says despite not getting the job, he plans to stay with the New Roads Police Department.
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