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Chief confirms Ponchatoula Police Department on strike Friday
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PONCHATOULA - At 6:30 a.m. Friday, Ponchatoula police chief Bry Layrisson found the doors locked and the lights off at his police station. No one showed up for work.
"I was the only employee in the building," said Chief Layrisson. "Four patrolmen, a communications officer, then after 8 a.m. you'd have office personnel, detectives, agents, school resource officers, none of those personnel reported for duty."
The chief is investigating what happened at shift change, but when asked if he knew why his officers skipped out, he had his suspicions.
"My officers are very upset with city hall because they are significantly underpaid compared to other city employees. These officers risk their lives everyday. The city's got a 10-million dollar surplus, there's no reason they can't pay these officers a livable wage.”
When an officer calls out from work they are required to tell a superior. That did not happen.
"I have not been contacted by any officer in the union, not any officer that did not show up for work today."
Surrounding law enforcement agencies came to help after Layrisson found himself at the front desk alone. Now the police station is filled with Tangipahoa Sheriff deputies lending a hand.
"We've done the same for them. We're a brotherhood, a sisterhood in law enforcement and we're here to help each other out."
Residents woke up worried after they found out there were no police officers working the town, but seeing other agencies patrolling eased that fear.
Rowen Harris, who lives in Ponchatoula said, "We were worried about the shortage of police, now that we know the sheriff's office is looking out for us and cops are on the ground. We feel better now."
Chief Layrisson says that he stands by his staff, but also said they took an oath to serve and protect and he'll hold them to that.
"I understand my officers' frustrations and why they may have done this but I deserve to have a heads up. They're going to come back to work, they owe that to the citizens of Ponchatoula. I'm going to make sure they're here tomorrow protecting our citizens."
Layrisson says he's met with the city multiple times with his officers' concerns, but so far nothing has been done.
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