Dies says two deputy police chiefs needed

Police Chief Ronald Dies has come to the conclusion that his deputy chief has too much to do.
He initially appointed a provisional second deputy chief, on July 25, but reversed that action when he realized current city ordinance does not give him that flexibility.
Some background:
The department had a classified assistant chief until former Chief Gary Fontenot proposed in August 2009 dropping that spot and instead using a system with two captains as the top managers under the chief. The City Council went along and implemented a new salary structure that was to go along with the change.
While the process of converting, which involves detailed Civil Service refinements, stalled and was eventually junked, the pay changes for all grades were retained.
Shortly after being elected, Dies put the kabash on the change, saying the two-captain system in lieu of an assistant chief was inefficient and overly expensive, and returning them to rank of lieutenant when the deputy chief system was implemented.
One of those temporary captains was Richard Daigle, who returned to his chief of detectives post; the other was former provisional assistant chief Bret Faulkner, who returned to patrol shift commander and has since retired.
Dies then named Daigle and Lt. Varden Guillory provisional deputy chiefs, and ultimately assigned Guillory to the deputy post.
Dies now concludes Guillory has too much to do under the city ordinance creating his job and the job description as written for the Civil Service classified system and wanted to again appointed Daigle an acting DC.
“It is my determination that the duties and responsibilities are too great for one individual. The department would run more efficiently by having the duties of Deputy Chief of Police separated between two individuals,” Dies says in a letter to Guillory, a copy of which was obtained by The Eunice News.
In a July 25 e-mail to all department employees, the chief said:
“Upon review of the duties and responsibilities of this department, I feel that they are far too great for just one person to handle.
“In order to improve the efficiency of the department, I have made a decision to make changes which will allow the work of this department to be completed more effectively and efficiently.
“My decision is to create a second Deputy Chief of Police position. Each of the two Deputy Chief of Police positions will be responsible for the divisions as follows; one for (Patrol and Dispatchers), and one for (Juvenile, Narcotics, Detectives, Records and Jailers). Each Deputy Chief will be responsible for their division with separate duties.
Effective July 25, 2014, at approximately 4:00 P.M., I will appoint Lt. Richard Daigle as (Provisional) Deputy Chief of Police.
I hope you will all congratulate him, thanks in advance.”
The assertion that Guillory is overwhelmed by the tasks assigned to him seems contrary to what the general opinion is within the department, where it is also common knowledge that Dies differs with Guillory on several issues and the chief has taken him out of much of the management loop.
Dies has not been available for comment.
Guillory, who has a pending Civil Service hearing challenging at least one Dies decision involving his deputy, declined to comment.
Daigle confirmed that he is still a lieutenant, not a deputy chief, provisional or otherwise.
Dies cites his authority as chief to divide the duties and appoint a provisional second deputy.
But the ordinance creating the deputy system provides for only one DC. An initial draft of the proposal allowed more than one, sources said, but the draft was revised before public hearing and adoption.
The council created the position through an ordinance to the Municipal Code on Jan. 11, 2011. Dies was elected in November 2010.
The deputy chief is not a permanent job, as opposed to the assistant chief position which was a permanent competitive civil service appointment.
Under the ordinance, the deputy chief appointment is a three-year one, with the chief either reconfirming his deputy for another three years or returning the DC to his or her’s former position. Guillory’s three years in the job do not expire until 2015, shortly after Dies second term as chief begins if he is re-elected in November of this year or shortly after he leaves office if he is defeated by one of four announced opponents.
In his letter regarding two DCs, Dies breaks his deputies’ functions out this way:
Guillory -- Patrol Division, including at least 22 police personnel and four dispatch personnel, patrol officers’ equipment and vehicles;
Daigle -- Other divisions, including about 15 personnel, including Detectives, Juveniles, Narcotics, Records and Jail.
Dies said all purchases would require a purchase order and all over $500 would require his approval. Only emergency overtime would be allowed without prior approval and all regulations would be adhered to by both deputy positions.