Bastrop Chief of Police retires

BASTROP, La. (KNOE) -The Bastrop police chief is retiring earlier than expected; Allen Campbell announced his retirement Monday morning. He was scheduled to retire in the middle of 2021. Mayor Henry Cotton said he was surprised but not shocked when he received notice from the police chief.

Campbell was set to retire in July or August of 2021 but decided to retire early.

Mayor Cotton has not spoken with Campbell since Friday and did not know Campbell was retiring until he received the letter Monday morning.

Campbell worked his way up through the ranks over the years, starting as a patrolman and while they have had their disagreements in the past, Campbell was respected, the mayor said.

“I think that he is very capable. He is a very capable chief. He knows the law, very knowledgeable and very smart, and he wasn’t forced to retire. I’ve never asked him for his resignation. I’ve never asked him to retire early. So let me make that clear, that was his decision, and his decision alone,” Mayor Cotton said.

KNOE reached out to Campbell for a comment. However, he is still on vacation and has not yet responded to the station’s request.

The search for Campbell’s replacement is already underway. The police chief is an appointed position and a civil service position. The mayor already knows who he will appoint as interim police chief for 90 days while a search for a new top cop is completed.

The mayor is in the process of making Deputy Chief John Evans the interim chief.

“The right thing to do is not to name the chief today but to appoint the assistant chief, John Anthony Evans, to fulfill the position of the chief. In the event that I am not re-elected, I don’t want to appoint a chief that the incoming administration would not want,” the mayor explained.

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