A controversy has erupted in Elizabeth, Louisiana, a small village of just over 400 residents, as the sole candidate for the upcoming police chief election is Christopher Paul, 48, who was arrested in September on two counts of child rape. The election is scheduled for November.
Paul was arrested on September 8 after the sheriff's office received a complaint alleging that he committed rape against two 13-year-old girls between 2005 and 2006. An arrest warrant was issued following interviews with witnesses and victims, according to local reports. Paul turned himself in and was booked on the charges. He was released on a $60,000 bond.
The situation has sparked significant outrage on social media, with many residents questioning how no other candidates have emerged. "Nobody in Elizabeth wants to become chief? Whoever runs against this guy would probably win," one Facebook user commented. Another expressed disbelief, asking, "You can not tell me that there is absolutely no one else to take this job!" Many believe the rape allegations alone should disqualify Paul from consideration.
Elizabeth Mayor Mandy Green addressed the situation in a Facebook post, stating, "Charges are allegations, not a conviction." She emphasized that under the law, Paul is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Green also clarified that neither she nor the Board of Aldermen have the authority to override the ballot, as the position answers directly to the voters.
Paul's only opponent, Zachary Lacaze, a civilian security employee at Fort Polk, a U.S. Army base, was forced to withdraw from the race. Lacaze, who ran as an independent to comply with the Hatch Act—a law restricting political activities of federal employees—stated that someone reported him for violating the act. Following a JAG investigation, he was informed he could no longer run for the position. "My full-time job is what provides for my wife and son, and I cannot take that away from them," Lacaze wrote on Facebook, explaining his decision to withdraw.
With Lacaze out of the running, Paul, who is running as a Republican, remains the only candidate on the ballot. The village plans to hold a Town Hall meeting on October 12 to allow residents to voice their input on the matter.
_wrote_in_a_Facebook_post_about_Pauls_arrest_and_candidacy-a-33_1791146566617.jpg "'Charges are allegations, not a conviction,' Elizabeth Mayor Mandy Green (pictured) wrote in a Facebook post about Paul's arrest and candidacy")
