INTERNAL POLICE DRUG PROBE ALMOST COMPLETE

The internal affairs investigation that cost two veteran Lafayette police
officers their jobs for violating the city's drug policy is nearly
finished, a top city-parish official said Wednesday.

But, officials remained tight-lipped about just how Cpl. Trampus Gaspard
and Cpl. Keith Richard violated that drug policy, which requires random
drug testing of employees who work in "safety sensitive" areas, including
police officers. They were fired Tuesday, just hours after Richard was
arrested for alleged possession of prescription painkiller Lortab and a
stolen firearm. Gaspard was not arrested.

"The investigation should be complete very shortly," said Chief
Administrative Officer Dee Stanley.

Information surrounding the internal affairs investigation suggests that
the officers' terminations involved steroids, but officials haven't
confirmed or denied that claim. Also arrested Tuesday was Richard's
roommate, Jesse Walton, for alleged possession of steroids.

Lafayette Consolidated Government doesn't test employees for steroids,
although it is considered a prohibited drug in the drug policy. Few police
departments do, according to criminal justice experts, because it's too
expensive.

Stanley would not comment on how authorities discovered Richard and Gaspard
had violated the drug policy.

However, a positive drug test isn't the only cause for termination. If an
employee is found to have used, manufactured, distributed or possessed any
drug on LCG property, he or she can be fired immediately, the drug policy
states.

Richard and Gaspard had been on paid administrative leave since June 16.
Officers Jason Galatas and Jason Herpin also were placed on leave at that
time, but Herpin has since returned to work. Officials have not yet said
what will happen to Galatas.

Part of the complaint that sparked the investigation began at Club 410 on
Jefferson Street, where police officers have been banned from doing
off-duty security detail until the investigation is complete. Also
connected to the case is the June 10 arrest of Marc Cormier; police seized
20 bottles of steroids and other drugs from his Meaux Boulevard home. It
remains unclear how the bar and the arrest relate to the investigation.

Cpl. Mark Francis, spokesman for the Lafayette Police Department, said
Richard and Gaspard had been "exemplary" officers before the incident that
caused them to be fired.

"Just as a police officer working with the guys, they were good police
officers leading up to what took place," Francis said, "but it only takes
one incident."

All LCG employees must take a drug test when they are hired, and are
subject to future drug screenings if they are involved in an accident or if
their supervisor has reasonable suspicion they are using drugs, said
Michael W. Breaux, LCG substance abuse program manager.

Breaux said a computer generates a list of between 65 to 90 names each
month for random drug testing. He gives that list to the contracted drug
screening company, which then calls the employees in to one of four
locations on LCG property to be tested.

The day of the test and the list of names is kept secret, Breaux said.