Grand Coteau mayor, police chief dispute handling of LACE funds, budget and officer pay raises

Grand Coteau mayor, police chief dispute handling of LACE funds, budget and officer pay raises

Tensions rose during a town meeting Tuesday night in Grand Coteau as Mayor Patrick Richard and Police Chief Brad Randell debated how funds from a state law enforcement program are being handled.The discussion centered around the Local Agency Compensated Enforcement (LACE) Program, which provides funding for overtime pay for off-duty police officers working traffic enforcement and other public safety initiatives.Under Louisiana law, a police chie…