BIENVILLE PARISH, LA (KSLA) -
The appointment of a man to be interim police chief in Ringgold led to mayhem Tuesday in the town's council chambers.
Moments after Ringgold City Council members voted 3-2 to approve Roy Edwards as interim police chief, a number of people in the chambers started a ruckus to voice their objection.
So disruptive was the noise that the council ordered the room cleared, and it immediately moved to continue meeting behind closed doors.
Part of the objection stems from Edwards not being in the country -- he's in Africa. Because of his absence, a couple of council members questioned whether the appointment was legitimate.
The town seeks to replace Chief Lawson Bradley, who passed away on August 12 after a sudden illness. Bradley, 71, died from a stroke and heart attack while being treated at Willis-Knighton Pierremont.
An interim chief is supposed to be named until the town can hold an election in early 2013.
Today's developments now leave the town without an official interim police chief. The council decided in its executive sesson to allow Ringgold Officer Wareunta Giles to take over as officer in charge until the state governor's office can help settle the matter, according to Mayor Stephone Taylor.
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Ringgold hopes to replace one day its former chief, Lawson Bradley, who died August 12. (Source: Bradley family)
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