OPELOUSAS, La. — The Opelousas City Council on Tuesday rejected the resignation of embattled police officer Tyron Andrepont and formally ended the officer's paid leave. The rejection means that the officer could be fired.
Earlier this month, Andrepont was named in a bill of information charging him with five counts of malfeasance in connection with the alleged battery of an 18-year-old who was hospitalized. The charges accuse Andrepont of beating the teen on the head/face, neck/throat, right arm and right leg. Read more here.
Andrepont had been on administrative leave since last fall, when Police Chief Martin McLendon learned of the incident and turned it over to State Police. He submitted his resignation at the end of June.
Chief McLendon told the council at the meeting that Andrepont should be fired. He's worked with the officer for years, and says this isn't the first complaint against him.
"I turned him in years ago. I don't know that anything happened with it, but I know what happened in October of 2019. As soon as I saw the video, I took action," McLendon said.
The case will go to a disciplinary hearing and the council will then have the final say.
With tonight's decision, Andrepont's administrative leave is cut off as of June 18; his resignation is effective June 29.
Daryl Washington, who represents the 18-year-old Andrepont allegedly beat, commended the council's decision, but added that it "should have happened years ago."
Chief McLendon has also asked the Louisiana Commission of Law Enforcement to revoke Andrepont's post certification, preventing him from becoming an officer again.
"Every time we make those decisions, we tarnish that badge," said the chief. "And it's our job as police officers to represent what this badge stands for."
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