Name: Opelousas Board of Aldermen rejects resignation of White officer accused of beating handcuffed Black man
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Opelousas Board of Aldermen rejects resignation of White officer accused of beating handcuffed Black man

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You are the owner of this article.Opelousas City Attorney Travis Broussard, right, explains the civil service appeals process when a permanent law enforement is terminated at an Opelousas Board of Aldermen meeting on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. Opelousas Mayor Julius Alsandor sits at left.Opelousas Police Chief Martin McLendon waits to speak on the requested resignation of his officer, Sgt. Tyron Andrepont, at an Opelousas Board of Aldermen on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. McLendon has recommended Andrepont be terminated.Opelousas Police Sgt. Tyron Andrepont, 49, was booked on five counts of malfeasance in office after accusations he used excessive force against 21-year-old Jonah Coleman while Coleman was undergoing treatment at Opelousas General Hospital in October 2019.&nbsp;Jonah Coleman, right, speaks and his attorney Daryl Washington, listens, left, during a rally against police brutality at St. Landry Parish Courthouse on Friday, July 3, 2020 in Opelousas, La..&nbsp;Opelousas police Sgt. Tyron Andrepont is accused of using excessive force against 21-year-old Jonah Coleman while he was receiving treatment at Opelousas General Hospital in October 2019.Jonah Coleman during a rally against police brutality at St. Landry Parish Courthouse on Friday, July 3, 2020 in Opelousas, La..&nbsp;Opelousas police Sgt. Tyron Andrepont is accused of using excessive force against 21-year-old Jonah Coleman while he was receiving treatment at Opelousas General Hospital in October 2019.Opelousas City Attorney Travis Broussard, right, explains the civil service appeals process when a permanent law enforement is terminated at an Opelousas Board of Aldermen meeting on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. Opelousas Mayor Julius Alsandor sits at left.Opelousas Police Chief Martin McLendon waits to speak on the requested resignation of his officer, Sgt. Tyron Andrepont, at an Opelousas Board of Aldermen on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. McLendon has recommended Andrepont be terminated.Opelousas Police Sgt. Tyron Andrepont, 49, was booked on five counts of malfeasance in office after accusations he used excessive force against 21-year-old Jonah Coleman while Coleman was undergoing treatment at Opelousas General Hospital in October 2019.&nbsp;Jonah Coleman, right, speaks and his attorney Daryl Washington, listens, left, during a rally against police brutality at St. Landry Parish Courthouse on Friday, July 3, 2020 in Opelousas, La..&nbsp;Opelousas police Sgt. Tyron Andrepont is accused of using excessive force against 21-year-old Jonah Coleman while he was receiving treatment at Opelousas General Hospital in October 2019.Jonah Coleman during a rally against police brutality at St. Landry Parish Courthouse on Friday, July 3, 2020 in Opelousas, La..&nbsp;Opelousas police Sgt. Tyron Andrepont is accused of using excessive force against 21-year-old Jonah Coleman while he was receiving treatment at Opelousas General Hospital in October 2019.The Opelousas Board of Aldermen Tuesday voted 5-1 to reject the resignation of Sgt. Tyron Andrepont, a White Opelousas police officer accused of battering a handcuffed Black man in a hospital in October.The rejection opens the door for Opelousas Police Chief Martin McLendon to recommend Andrepont’s firing. McLendon informed the board he believes Andrepont’s conduct goes beyond suspension and requires termination, saying after the meeting “it’s clear he has a pattern of abuse.”The chief said after viewing video evidence of Andrepont’s battery on 21-year-old Jonah Coleman Jr. that the veteran policeman should no longer have the authority of a badge.Success! An email has been sent with a link to confirm list signup.Error! There was an error processing your request.“When I viewed that video, I saw my son in that video, I saw your brother in that video, because it could happen to anybody and that should’ve never happened,” McLendon said.Alderman Charles Cummings, District C, was the lone vote against rejecting Andrepont’s resignation request. Cummings said after the meeting he voted no because he’s concerned if Andrepont appeals termination he could get back on the force. By voluntarily resigning, Andrepont waives his rights and he would not have an avenue to rejoin the Opelousas Police Department, he said.&nbsp;“My cause was to stop everything today,” Cummings said.Cummings said he supports terminating Andrepont.Andrepont submitted his resignation to McLendon, Mayor Julius Alsandor and the city attorney via email at the end of business June 29. The 17-year Opelousas Police veteran is accused of battering Coleman while Coleman was receiving treatment at Opelousas General Health System’s south hospital on October 30.Andrepont was booked on five counts of malfeasance in office in the case.The board originally moved to terminate Andrepont, but Opelousas City Attorney Travis Broussard interjected and informed the board Andrepont would maintain civil service rights if terminated and his firing would have to follow a specific process. First, a pre-disciplinary hearing would be held, then a meeting to act on McLendon’s recommendation and finally Andrepont would have appeal options if terminated.“If there’s no pre-disciplinary hearing, that would nullify the discipline that’s imposed on him and I don’t think anyone wants that,” Broussard said.McLendon said he plans to push for an expedited consideration process for Andrepont’s termination, rather than waiting until the Board of Aldermen’s next meeting.“The young man involved, Mr. Coleman, obviously deserves some closure. This obviously is a nightmare to him, and I believe his family, I don’t speak for them, but I believe they want to see something happen as quickly as possible,” the chief said.In the meantime, McLendon said he applied with the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration on Criminal Justice to have Andrepont’s peace officer standards and training, or POST, certification revoked. All Louisiana law enforcement officers are required to maintain POST certification.“The biggest concern across the community is that people don’t want him to wear a uniform ever again.…After his resignation letter he could’ve easily applied with another agency. There are a lot of agencies that hire people that leave departments and never call for a reference,” McLendon said.Coleman’s family and his attorney, Dallas-based civil rights lawyer Daryl K. Washington, had vehemently opposed Andrepont’s resignation out of fear resignation would allow Andrepont to maintain a respectable employment record and find employment as a police officer in a new department.“You don’t commit a crime and you don’t commit years of abuse and be given the privilege to just resign and perhaps be eligible to receive your pension. When you commit a bad act, the penalty you suffer is termination, not resignation,” Washington said at a July 3 rally supporting Coleman.The board also voted 6-0 to terminate Andrepont’s paid leave effective June 29. The accused officer had been on administrative leave with pay since November, when Louisiana State Police launched the initial investigation into the battery allegations. McLendon said he referred the investigation to Louisiana State Police after learning of the incident in a meeting with hospital administrators in mid-November.Descriptions of the battery included in an affidavit filed June 12 said Andrepont struck Coleman in the face at lease once, causing his head “to snap backwards” and “put his right arm around Jonah’s neck in a chokehold” while Coleman was handcuffed to a hospital bed.Andrepont has been accused of abusive behavior before; in 2011, Opelousas pastor Elton Sam Jr. filed a lawsuit against Andrepont, the Opelousas Police Department and the City of Opelousas in 2011. Court documents claim Andrepont used excessive force against Sam after accusing the minister of stealing from an area Goodwill in October 2010.The officer is accused of slamming Sam’s head onto the hood of his police unit, putting Sam into a chokehold while he was handcuffed and shoving him into the door of his patrol car, among other acts.McLendon said after the council meeting that he reported Andrepont once in the past for an incident but did not elaborate.Email Katie Gagliano at .&nbsp;© Copyright 2020 , 10705 Rieger Rd. Baton Rouge, LA&nbsp;| &nbsp;|Powered by from .

You are the owner of this article.You have permission to edit this article.Opelousas City Attorney Travis Broussard, right, explains the civil service appeals process when a permanent law enforement is terminated at an Opelousas Board of Aldermen meeting on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. Opelousas Mayor Julius Alsandor sits at left.Opelousas Police Chief Martin McLendon waits to speak on the requested resignation of his officer, Sgt. Tyron Andrepont, at an Opelousas Board of Aldermen on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. McLendon has recommended Andrepont be terminated.Opelousas Police Sgt. Tyron Andrepont,...

Opelousas Board of Aldermen rejects resignation of White officer accused of beating handcuffed Black man

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