Community Accountability Network

Tag: Police

The Overlap: Public Dollars, Private Influence

This article may appear in multiple series, as the topics are intertwined.

Economic development in Northeast Louisiana is often described as a public-private partnership. That model is common. What matters is how it functions in practice.

A review of GROW NELA’s publicly listed Board of Directors and investor roster reveals a pattern of overlap between those who financially support the organization and those who help govern it.

Documented examples include but are not limited to:
– Shane Smiley, President of the Ouachita Parish Police Jury. The Police Jury is listed as an investor in GROW NELA. Smiley also serves on GROW NELA’s Board of Directors representing the parish.
– Tania Hilburn, Senior Vice President with Chase Bank. Chase is listed as an investor in GROW NELA. She serves on the board representing the bank.
– Matt Dickerson, Chief Strategy Officer at Mid South Extrusion. Mid South Extrusion is listed as an investor in GROW NELA. He serves on the board.
– Chap Breard, owner of MOEbiz. MOEbiz is listed as an investor in GROW NELA. He serves on the board.
– Emily Stogner, affiliated with DPR Construction. DPR is listed as an investor in GROW NELA. DPR is also a prime contractor on the Meta data center project in Richland Parish.

These connections are drawn directly from publicly available board and investor listings.

This structure means that multiple entities financially supporting GROW NELA also hold governance positions within the organization.

That structure is not automatically improper.

However, when public institutions invest taxpayer dollars into an organization whose board includes private firms that may later benefit from development projects, the public has a right to review:
– How funding agreements are structured
– Whether conflicts of interest are disclosed
– Whether recusals are documented
– Whether procurement processes involving investor-linked firms are transparent

Public Records Requests

In order to better understand how these relationships operate in practice, I submitted public records requests to both the City of Monroe and the Ouachita Parish Police Jury seeking documentation of:
– Contracts and cooperative agreements with GROW NELA
– Payments to investor-linked firms
– Procurement documentation related to those contracts

After receiving no communication from the Police Jury, I visited their office in person. I was informed that my request was received on February 20. I requested written confirmation of receipt and was told the request had been forwarded to the Police Jury’s attorney.

As of this writing, no records have been produced.

Under Louisiana Public Records Law, public bodies are required to respond within three business days by either producing records or providing a written explanation and timeline.

The State of Louisiana has acknowledged receipt of a related records request and indicated that documents are being compiled on their behalf.

This review is ongoing.

March 6, 2026
Part 1 — The Rumor Mill

Series: The Richland Parish Data Center: Rumor, Fact, and the Record

Looking into the data center in Richland Parish felt like an obvious story, though not for the reasons I first expected. Initially, I was interested in the function of the facility itself and how it worked. A project of this scale is unlike anything our region has seen before.

As I began listening to the community, however, the story shifted. Again and again, regardless of the specific concern, the message was the same: people do not feel like they have clear answers about what is happening in their own community.

Land owned by families for generations appeared to sell almost overnight. What was once a small, rural area suddenly became the site of a projected ten-billion-dollar project. Many locals say it felt like it happened without warning. When something this large arrives with unanswered questions, the rumor mill begins turning, and once it does, it is hard to stop.

This series exists for one simple reason: to separate rumor from fact, concern from speculation, and to share information that can actually be verified, especially at a time when local news coverage on this topic has largely gone quiet.

Over the past several weeks, I have heard a wide range of concerns from residents. These include questions about job opportunities for locals, water supply and electric costs, economic impacts, long-term health and environmental effects, transparency in the approval and communication process, who ultimately benefits from this data center, and yes, even rumors about immigration and who is working on site.

In this series, nothing is off limits.

I am starting with the immigration rumor, not because it is the most important concern, but because it is the easiest to verify.

Speculation spread rapidly on social media after headlines surfaced about the detention of multiple contracted workers during a traffic stop. While some residents openly supported the arrests, others were left fearful and unsure of what might happen next. What stood out most was how quickly the community began turning on itself, defending deeply held beliefs based on information that had not yet been verified.

Over the past few weeks, I have spoken directly with immigrant workers from the data center site. Some were aware of the rumors circulating online, while others were not. The message I heard consistently was this: while immigration tensions are high across the country, they are legal workers and want to be recognized as such.

Several expressed concern about potential racial profiling and asked that people not make assumptions about their legal status, but instead treat them as human beings. Others were understanding of local fears. One worker told me he did not blame residents for worrying about job opportunities, while also explaining that he was brought in on a work visa because his role required specialized skills that were not readily available at the time.

One thing everyone I spoke with agreed on is that there are no immigration raids happening at the data center.

When speaking with local residents, I found that most were not hostile toward migrant workers. Many admitted, however, that they were afraid of the unknown, particularly when it came to background and safety. As one local put it, it was simply the fear of not knowing.

There is a clear irony here. Both sides are operating from fear. Fear of safety, fear of the unknown, and fear of displacement. The fears differ, but the root is the same. In reality, the solution is also the same: access to clear information and a willingness to see one another as part of the same community.

Despite what social media rumors might suggest, what you will actually find at the data center are locals and migrant workers sharing lunch, lending each other a hand, and joking together to get through long days on the job.

That brings us to the next and far more complex question many residents are asking: who is actually getting these jobs? In the next part of this series, I will take a closer look at job opportunities for locals, what positions are being filled, and where the workforce is truly coming from.

March 6, 2026
Caldwell Parish Shooting — Update

Following the February 28th incident involving reported gunfire on residential property where children were present, I spoke directly with the Sheriff to seek clarity on how this case is being handled.

This is what was initially communicated during that meeting:

The Sheriff initially stated that the children could not be considered victims because of where the bullets landed.

He described the shooter as an elderly man and referenced possible cognitive decline, though no formal assessment was cited.

Three statements have been collected thus far. One key individual reportedly left the scene without providing a statement, and the Sheriff indicated he would not move forward with a charging decision until that statement is obtained.

During the course of the conversation, I pressed for clarity regarding victim classification and investigative standards. By the end of our discussion, the Sheriff acknowledged that the children would now be considered victims within the scope of the investigation and agreed to continue examining the situation from that perspective.

I want to be clear:
When gunfire occurs on residential property and minors are present, the community deserves a thorough, transparent, and unbiased investigation. The presence of children elevates the seriousness of any use of force.

Self-defense is a legal standard. It is not a shield from scrutiny. It requires evidence of imminent threat and proportional response. Determining whether that standard is met must be based on documented facts, not familiarity with the parties involved, not assumptions, and not characterization.

Multiple neighbors present described similar accounts of the incident. If there are conflicts in statements, those discrepancies should be clearly identified and evaluated individually, not broadly labeled without explanation.

Justice is not about rushing to judgment. It is about methodical review and equal application of the law.

But justice is also not about hesitation when public safety is involved.

I appreciate the Sheriff’s willingness to give this matter a second look and to move forward with transparency. The community will continue watching closely, not for conflict, but for fairness and accountability. I will continue to press for justice and follow this story closely.

Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

March 2, 2026
Caldwell Parish Shooting Incident

Location: Caldwell Parish

I’ve seen the post circulating about the February 28th shooting incident in Caldwell Parish and those who tagged me. The mother who shared it has reached out, and I will be looking into the situation further.

At this point, the details currently available are based on her public account. Allegations involving gunfire near children and concerns about law enforcement response are extremely serious and deserve careful review.

Over the coming days, I will be requesting:
– The official incident report
– Body cam and dash cam footage
– Any arrest records or charging decisions
– Dispatch logs
– Clarification on department protocol

It’s important that we allow the facts and documentation to speak. My role is not to escalate emotions, but to examine the records and provide transparency.

If you were a direct witness or have firsthand knowledge of the events, you may contact me privately.

I will share updates as information becomes available.

March 1, 2026
Shopper’s Arrest Raises Questions at Walmart

Location: Monroe, LA

A Monroe woman is speaking out after an encounter at the Walmart Supercenter on Louisville Avenue on December 9, 2025, that ended in her arrest. A nearly 10-minute video recorded during the incident is now circulating publicly and has sparked community discussion about trespass procedures, police communication, and how situations like this escalate.

According to the shopper, she entered Walmart around 1:37 p.m. to look for Christmas presents for her son. She states that she purchased a candy bar and was not approached by any Walmart employee while inside the store regarding theft or store policy violations.

In the video, the interaction begins as the shopper exits the store and is approached by a police officer who asks for her identification and informs her that she is being banned from the store. The shopper repeatedly asks why she is being banned and whether she is being detained. In the video, the officer does not clearly answer whether she is free to leave or being legally detained.

The officer tells the shopper that she must sign a piece of paper in order to be legally trespassed from Walmart. She repeatedly asks whether signing the document is required. At different points in the video, the officer gives conflicting answers — first stating that she must sign it, and later stating that she does not have to.

The shopper attempts to leave the area and is followed outside. She states that she was then physically grabbed and forced back into the store and into the asset protection office. She was subsequently arrested and charged with disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and failure to identify.

In the video, the shopper tells the officer multiple times that she does not have a physical ID but does verbally provide her name. There are also comments made during the encounter suggesting the officer may have looked inside her purse, though the video does not clearly establish whether consent was given or whether a search warrant was present.

The video also includes statements indicating that the reason for the trespass may have been related to the shopper using a store outlet to charge her phone, not an allegation of theft. Walmart, like all private businesses, has the legal right to trespass individuals from their property. However, the video raises questions about how that process is communicated and enforced, particularly when instructions appear inconsistent.

The shopper also states in the video that she is autistic and that public spaces like stores are sometimes used as a safe place for her. She references a prior interaction with law enforcement in which officers assisted her in reaching a local shelter rather than trespassing or arresting her, which she contrasts with this encounter.

This story is not about determining guilt or innocence, nor does it make legal conclusions about whether any rights were violated. However, the video does raise concerns about clarity, communication, and escalation. Viewers may reasonably question whether clearer explanations — such as whether the shopper was legally detained, whether signing the trespass notice was required, and what consequences would follow refusal — could have prevented the situation from ending in an arrest.

At minimum, the incident highlights the importance of clear procedures and consistent communication when law enforcement and private businesses work together, especially when interacting with individuals who may be vulnerable or confused by conflicting instructions.

The full video is being shared for context so viewers can observe the interaction themselves and form their own opinions.

Video link

December 9, 2025
Richwood Police Chief Remains in Position After Felony Arrest

Power & Privilege — Laying the Foundation

Court records confirm that on May 30, 2025, Richwood Police Chief Johnny Ray Cleveland was arrested and charged with Aggravated Battery (felony). An arrest warrant was issued the same day, along with a Louisiana Uniform Abuse Prevention Order that is effective through May 30, 2027.

Local media outlets, including KNOE and KTVE, reported that Mayor Gerald Brown stated the Chief remains in his position but has been placed on “desk duty,” handling administrative responsibilities. The Monroe Dispatch has also reported that Cleveland is “not suspended, but inactive in investigations,” according to statements attributed to the mayor.

Since that time, additional whistleblower communications have been received raising concerns about administrative leave policies, vehicle use, firearm restrictions under the protective order, payroll practices, and possible prior legal matters. These claims have not yet been independently verified. Public records requests are being prepared to obtain documentation and clarify policy compliance.

A Louisiana Uniform Crash Report connected to a recent fatal crash on Highway 165 has also been reviewed. The crash narrative does not attribute fault to any responding officer in the report available. Claims regarding the Chief’s involvement in that incident remain unverified.

At the center of this situation are broader questions about transparency and policy. What is Richwood’s administrative leave policy for a law enforcement officer facing a felony charge? What restrictions are in place while a protective order is active? What safeguards exist to protect the town from liability exposure?

This is an ongoing matter. Updates will be provided as documentation is obtained and verified.

Richwood, you deserve better. You deserve true leadership and transparency.

May 30, 2025