In the last few months, the public has learned a great deal about the soon-to-be former leadership at the Vidalia Police Department — and much of it doesn’t appear all that flattering.

First, during the election earlier this year, the issue of the department’s budget became a big topic for discussion. From 2008 to 2014, the budget grew by more than $1 million, or more than 70 percent.

That inordinately large increase doesn’t appear to be the result of a booming population growth and thus the need to expand the department. The population has actually been relatively stagnant over the last few decades.

No, the growth appears to be largely connected to simply overstaffing and the purchase of lots of “toys.”

As an example, late last year the Vidalia Police dropped approximately $40,0000 for two brand new police motorcycles.

Were they needed?

Common sense indicates the answer is resoundingly no. The fact that no other nearby law enforcement agency — including some with much larger populations — finds it necessary to have a separate motorcycle patrol should support that belief.

Police Chief Arthur Lewis defended the decision by suggesting the motorcycles were needed to get officers onto the Mississippi River bridge more easily in the case of an auto accident that is blocking the route.

Interestingly, neither Natchez nor Vidalia police officers ever seem to have struggled too badly in getting to bridge wrecks in the 20-plus years I’ve covered news here.

In fact, the two departments often leaned on one another to send officers — driving the wrong direction — onto the bridge in the case of a fully blocked bridge.

But motorcycles are cool, the apparent thought was. Let’s get two.

They’ll look nice beside the cool drones the department purchased early last year.

Clearly getting spending under control quickly will make new police chief Joey Merrill look like a genius.

Merrill handily ousted Lewis in March, but Louisiana’s election timing means the incumbents who are voted out remain in office for approximately four months after the election. That’s clearly a bad system that needs to be addressed.

Overspending aside, reports surfaced last week that Lewis had taken a leave of absence and didn’t plan to fulfill his term — but will still earn a paycheck in the process.

While few of the aldermen seemed certain of Lewis’ plans, apparently some of them said they believed Lewis was out on a medical leave, likely having knee surgery.

One said the knee issues had been going on for a while and that Lewis likely delayed addressing it until after the political campaign was over.

Basically, he opted to take a paid medical vacation once he was clear of the campaign, but has no plans to relinquish the role of police chief, despite being so incapacitated that he cannot come to the office.

Lewis and his sidekick, Assistant Chief Bruce Wiley, have been hired by the Ferriday Police Department to take over as soon as the new administration begins July 1.

Presumably Lewis hopes he’s healed up from his knee surgery by then.

For the man sworn to protect and serve the best interests of the people of Vidalia, it’s shameful to think he may have chosen to time his surgery in a way to take advantage of the system.

Of course, it’s difficult to know for sure if that’s what he plans when he will not return telephone calls and hasn’t clearly communicated to the aldermen what he’s doing.

 

Kevin Cooper is publisher of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 601-445-3539 or kevin.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.