NEW IBERIA, La. (KLFY) With Chief Todd D’Albor leading the force, the City of New Iberia is getting ready to welcome back its police department.
News 10’s Rebeca Marroquin spoke to some community members about the change.
“I’m very excited about it because, uh, it’s badly needed.”
New Iberia dissolved its police department back in 2004 and many people were disappointed when the change took place.
“Well I don’t feel good about that and I didnt when we, you know, when we seized to have it so i’m very glad that we’re going to have a city police department again.”
This October, voters approved a sales tax to re-establish the police force. The tax is expected to generate three million dollars a year to fund the department and with the recent crime increase in New Iberia, community members are excited for it to come back.
“I’m looking forward to more police though. there’s so much drugs, crime.”
Some even commented on how much the city has changed over the years without a police force around.
“There’s been a lot of crime increase, a lot of violence in new iberia in the last few years especially. and uh, i grew up in this town. and it was always a nice town to live in and now, i don’t think i would move here.””
However, not everyone felt like the re-establishment of the department is a smart move.
“I think it was good that we didnt have a police department here. i think that bringing it back is going to cause a lot of problems. i don’t thik it was financed to the extent that it should have been. and uh, you’re gonna have a very, i think, uh, busy, active period between the transition. although i wish them the very best of luck.””
“The first floor of City Hall will now be home to the new iberia police department. it’s the same location they had back in 2004..””
I spoke to the Chief who tells me that for the next seven months, they’ll be in the building stage, but once that key turns at City Hall, they’ll be sure to address the citizens’ concerns.
the biggest thing, he says.. ‘building trust’
“we’ve got to make sure we take care of our community, the citizens in New Iberia deserve a police department, especially with the crime lately.”
The department will be rebuilding from the ground up, with nothing on their hands for the next seven months, they’ll be trying to find manpower, vehicles, and equipment.
Rebeca Marroquin, KLFY News 10
