The Ville Platte City Council and Mayor Jennifer Vidrine held their monthly meeting Tuesday night at Ville Platte City Hall.  The room was full and multiple media outlets were there as the Mayor opened the meeting addressing the recent report from the Department of Justice.  The Mayor commented that when she read the report, it “Rocked me to the core.  If you know me, you know this is not who I am and this is not the Council.  I have been ensured by Police Chief, Neal Lartigue that these practices changed when the Department of Justice came in 2014.  To ensure that we are in compliance always, when I received the report I contacted the Department of Justice and ensured them that we will stay on top of it.  If you know me, there are two things very important to me…my personal relationship with God and my “Word”.  I will stand by my word.  I also asked that with the corrective action we have in place, for their oversite both visible and invisible.  I asked them to help with additional training on the ground.  I want to ensure everyone that I will be overseeing the situation as well and will be visiting the police department announced and unannounced.”  She stated the City has purchased 25 more body cameras for officers to wear and the cameras are of top notch quality like officers in Dallas and Los Angeles use.  If they are turned off, the camera will report it.  Vidrine stated in Ville Platte “Everyone is Someone and we want to make sure everyone is treated with respect and humanity.  If residents have a complaint about being treated unfairly, please make a direct report with the Chief. Then, after the investigation by the Chief if complete and you are unsatisfied, then please report it to City Hall.”

Resident, Arthur Sampson spoke to the council on two subjects.  The first two minutes he asked the Council to look into providing some sort of benefits to Veterans and reported he spoke to the Police Jury and they voted to give a discount at Crooked Creek to Veterans.  He then spoke on the report from The Department of Justice.  Sampson called the situation “serious” and stated “I won’t say black or white, but low-income residents have been treated unfairly for years.  I have reported this for so long.”

In other news, the Mayor reports that there will be a meeting Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall about the Health Fitness Challenge against the City of Opelousas.  You can come and learn how to sign up during the meeting.  You can also go to cityofvilleplatte.com.

Also, the Harlem Ambassadors Basketball Team will be returning to Ville Platte on February 8^th at 6:30 p.m.  Bring your family and come have a great time.

The meeting for February will be held on February 15^th due to Valentines Day.