FULL STORY:
GRAND COTEAU, La. — After 31 years in law enforcement, including 12 years as Assistant Police Chief and the past year as Police Chief of Grand Coteau, Michael Buck has announced his resignation. In a letter sent to the city on Wednesday, Buck cited the heavy demands of the position as his reason for stepping down.
Buck, who took over as chief last year after former Chief Jeffrey Guilbeau pled guilty to three felonies, said the stress and workload of the job were becoming too much to manage.
“The demands of the job, the stress, the hours—it takes a toll,” Buck said. “In addition to running the department, I’m also working two homicide cases, and I promised those families I would see them through.”
Along with handling major cases, Buck has been managing personnel issues and patrolling. He acknowledged the challenges of balancing these responsibilities, as well as the ongoing staffing shortage within the department.
“The personnel shortage is a huge challenge,” Buck said. “And to be honest, I don’t think I’ve been able to accomplish everything I wanted to during my time as chief.”
Buck, who has spent 31 years with the department, said he felt his strengths lay more in fieldwork than administrative duties.
“I’m just more suited to being a road officer,” he explained. “Managing personnel, sitting behind a desk—that’s not me.”
Despite the difficulties, Buck also mentioned the personal toll the job has taken on him. He was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure, with doctors advising that his stress levels were dangerously high.
“I think it’s time for someone else to take over,” Buck said. “It’s a tough job, but I believe there’s someone else out there who’s better suited for it.”
Buck also highlighted the department’s ongoing staffing shortages, which have left critical positions unfilled. The department is in need of more officers, dispatchers, and administrative personnel to meet the growing demands of the community.
I reached out to Grand Coteau Mayor several times for comment on Buck’s resignation but had not received a response at the time of publication. However, Alderman Devin Thomas confirmed that the city council will address Buck’s resignation at the upcoming council meeting in February. At that time, the council is also expected to appoint an interim chief.
Chief Buck did tell KATC that he plans to stay with the department but only as a police officer.
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Grand Coteau Police Chief Michael Buck says he will be stepping down as Police Chief for the town.
Buck tells us he formally submitted his resignation letter to Mayor Patrick Richard and The City Council on Wednesday afternoon. The council will address his resignation at the council meeting on February 11th.
We will have more on the reasons why he made this decision tonight at 6pm on KATC TV 3.
