LOCKPORT POLICE CHIEF ARRESTED

Missouri man charged with sexual battery, accused of aggravated incest with Lafourche victim
June 7, 2017
BALL NEVER STOPS!
June 8, 2017
Missouri man charged with sexual battery, accused of aggravated incest with Lafourche victim
June 7, 2017
BALL NEVER STOPS!
June 8, 2017

If you’re just passing through Lockport on a trip to Grand Isle or Fourchon, there is little to distinguish this town of a little less than 3,000 people from neighboring communities.

Snowball stands and convenience stores thrive in between hulking shells of privately-owned legacy retail stores on the main drag that is La. Highway 1. Two buildings house Lafourche Parish Sheri’s Office operations. There are banks, a payday loan center, and a spanking new Rouses.


A real sense of Lockport’s identity requires a turn down one of the town’s side-streets of fresh-painted homes with graceful porches, toward the west bank of Bayou Lafourche where a quaint playhouse, wooden-boat-building center and folk-life museum beckon.

“Friendly and safe,” is how one resident, contractor Dale Arceneaux, sums up this town he calls home. Like a lot of residents, he doesn’t want to talk about the matter that thrust Lockport into the headlines last week.

An icon of trust who has kept the place safe for 16 years, Police Chief Warren Vedros, was indicted by a Lafourche Parish grand jury on eight felony counts that include theft, malfeasance, forgery and falsification of a public record.


A local business leader whose good works are synonymous with the town’s friendly veneer, Ford dealer Robert Barker Jr., drew an indictment for forgery and for filing a false public record.

Both were booked into the parish jail Friday. Vedros bonded out on $80,000 and Barker on $30,000.

Details were sparse when the indictments were announced Wednesday by District Attorney Camille Morvant II. Sheri _ Craig Webre shed a bit more light with a statement released by his office, citing a Town of Lockport audit in December, which “uncovered a potential issue with the purchase of a Ford Explorer by the Lockport Police Department in October 2015.”


According to the statement, Vedros provided the auditor with allegedly altered town council minutes, along with unspecified documents allegedly forged by Barker, in support of the vehicle purchase.

Vedros is also accused of submitting vendor fees related to the Krewe of Apollo Carnival parade “several hundred dollars less” than collected from one vendor.

Unrelated matters concerning Vedros resulting in charges included vendor fees for the Krewe of Apollo Carnival parade submitted to the town that were allegedly less than he collected.


Additionally, “several thousand dollars” was reported missing from Lafourche Recreation District #1, where Vedros is employed part-time as director, the statement from Webre states.

“Vedros could not account for several thousand dollars of missing funds, including softball registration fees,” the Sheriff’s statement reads.

Vedros has said nothing in the meantime. Attempts to reach him were not successful and he did not respond to an e-mail message.


“We are not making any statements,” his son said when contacted, and immediately clicked off the call.

Barker – in his trademark fashion – politely said that he could not discuss the case on strong advice of his legal coun-

“I HAVE KNOWN BOB FOR YEARS & HE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A GENTLEMAN AND A GOOD PERSON.”


sel, when reached by telephone at his dealership.

“I have known Bob for years and he has been nothing but a gentleman and a good person,” said the car dealer’s Larose attorney, Henry Lafont Jr.

Ironically, some residents indicated they had greater trust in the car dealer than in the police chief.


“I think it’s just because of everything goes on nationally, on the TV,” said one Lockport resident, as he/she awaited the arrival of shrimp for a boil on a porch in the historic district. “I can see it with the chief but not with Bob.”

Like other residents questioned last week – some of whom expressed similar sentiments – the man asked not to be identified.

The town’s newly minted mayor, Edward Reinhardt, describes Vedros as well-liked, and apologized for not having details to provide.


“He has always been active in the community, he worked at the Catholic Church, has been the Knights of Columbus chairman and on different boards,” said Reinhardt, who is certain that for now, at least, Vedros is still the chief of police.

“He was elected by the people, so he has to make his own decision on that,” Reinhardt said, noting that “he is innocent until proven guilty.”

The mayor said he has coached softball games with Vedros, and that he has also been involved with Barker in youth activities.


The 59-year-old Vedros’ law enforcement career began in 1978, three years after graduating Cetnral Lafourche High, with the Lafourche Sheriff’s Office, where he worked for 14 years. In 1992 he switched over to the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office. He began working in Lockport in 1998 and became chief in 2004.

State auditors caught a violation of public bid law com pliance in connection with the purchase of a police vehicle for $42,195, allegedly a white Ford Explorer assigned to the chief.

Bids are required for purchases in excess of $30,000, and while three written quotes were obtained the purchase was never sent out for bid.


Town officials responded that they thought the ceiling for bid-letting was $50,000.

Additionally, two police vehicles were purchased in 2015 through an equipment lease-purchase agreement with Ford Motor Credit, with no authority given by the State Bonding Commission as required by law.

Town officials responded that they were not aware such notification and approval.


“It’s sad that this has happened and it’s hard for people to deal with it,” said former police chief Ernest Boudreaux Sr. “People trusted both individuals. Especially on Mr. Barker’s part I would think it was a thing where he wasn’t thinking at the time, maybe trying to help a friend and got caught up in a cross-fire.”

Boudreaux ran unsuccessfully against Vedros last year but says he didn’t do so because he thought his successor was doing a bad job. He just missed the work. “I wanted to serve the people again,” Boudreaux said.

Townspeople interviewed Saturday said they expect a big crowd at Lockport’s June 20 council meeting. While the town government cannot fire Vedros – and question would exist even if they could, since he has not been convicted of a crime – residents say they are curious to see whether he will resign the post. Boudreaux – while stressing that he holds no animosity toward Vedros – said that if he were in the same position that’s what he would do.


“I think that I would resign, for the betterment of the people of the town,” Boudreaux said. “It is going to take time for people to trust their police department. And whoever is going to be police chief is going to have to gain back the trust of the people.”

If he chooses to stay while his cases run through the courts, Vedros will have a strong collection of backers, even if some are swayed by the current troubles. “Warren, he does a lot for our town and for the children,” said Jean Chaisson, treasurer for the Krewe of Apollo. “He does a lot of charity work. Anybody that needs any help, he’s there to help.”

That some might be willing to continue extending trust to the chief is no surprise to Boudreaux, despite his personal feelings about what Vedros should do.


“In Lockport people always get along and have always trusted one another,” Boudreaux said. “It’s the way people were brought up here. It is a friendly little town.”

LOCKPORT POLICE CHIEF ARRESTEDLOCKPORT POLICE CHIEF ARRESTED