Deputy Chief Reggie Thomas To Resign

The man who once served as Lafayette City Police Department's Interim Chief, Reginald Thomas, has announced he will be retiring after thirty years of service to the community.

Thomas was appointed to be Lafayette's Police Chief on an interim based in 2016 when then Chief, Jim Craft, announced that he would be retiring. Craft then went to work for the for the Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice as the Executive Director.

Reggie Thomas served in the capacity of Lafayette's Police Chief for eight months after Jim Craft left the position. Thomas was integral in working to reorganize the department at that time. When Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory took over, he appointed current interim Police Chief Scott Morgan.

According to the Lafayette Daily Advertiser, Reggie Thomas will not seek the position of Lafayette Police Chief. Morgan has said he will not be seeking the permanent job either.

Thomas had a varied career with his time in law enforcement. He served in a variety of positions. One of the things he did in Lafayette was to form a team within the department focusing on solving homicides. That change helped to increase Lafayette's rate of being able to solve those murders to over ninety percent.

Reggie Thomas also has the distinction of working for each of the sections within the Lafayette Police Department, and while chief he also created a program to make sure that each of the supervisors were trained in leadership.

Below is a copy of Reggie Thomas' resignation letter.

Deputy Chief Reginald Thomas

May27, 2020

On Friday, May 29, 2020, I will officially retire from Lafayette Police Department. I have served this department for thirty years and have had the pleasure to work in nearly every department. During my last years, I have had the distinct privilege of serving as your Interim Chief and Deputy Chief. Leading this department has afforded me the privilege of working with the best and brightest men and women who daily demonstrated their dedication and commitment to the residents, business owners, and visitors of our great city. Your devotion to duty and selfless service has been remarkable. Together, we have built trusting relationships with Lafayette's citizens as well as partnerships with civic and business leaders in Lafayette. These are relationships that span throughout the communities surrounding our region. As I reflect on my time with Lafayette Police Department, I realize the great relationships that I have developed with my fellow officers and civilian employees. For many of you, I have celebrated with you when you were married or became parents for the first time, consoled you when times were tough and shared your grief when you lost loved ones. You have done the same for me and for that, I am extremely grateful. We have become family and I will always love you. I leave this department very excited and motivated for my endeavors in my future. This has been a great career and I will miss each and every one of you. I'm confident that this department will continue to move in the right direction and I will be a member for life. The Lafayette Police Department will always remain in my heart and as I go through life, there will be no other accomplishment greater than my time with you all.

Sincerely, M Reginald Thomas Deputy Chief