In a stunning decision following an hours-long meeting, the Elton Town Council voted to lay off the entire police department, except Police Chief Bruce Lemelle, due to ongoing budget issues.

Chief Lemelle confirmed the move, stating, “They told me today that they didn’t have enough money to pay for my department. I would be the only one working in the department.”

This unexpected development comes after years of financial struggles for the Town of Elton. While council members expressed regret over the cuts, many acknowledged that their hands were tied due to the town’s deteriorating budget.

With the layoffs in effect, the Jeff Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office will now handle all law enforcement calls within Elton, which is expected to result in longer response times for citizens in need of assistance.

The town's leadership has not yet announced any long-term plans for restoring local law enforcement services.

Stay tuned to KVPI for more updates on this story.

Arrest Made in Ville Platte Senior Living Apartment Fire

EVANGELINE PARISH (August 6, 2025) – State Fire Marshal (SFM) deputies arrested a Ville Platte man on Friday, August 1, 2025, for setting fire to a unit at an elderly and disabled senior living apartment complex in Ville Platte. William McBride, 56, has been charged with Aggravated Arson.

Shortly before 9 a.m. on Friday, the Ville Platte Fire Department responded to a fire in the 1000 block of North Reed Street in Ville Platte. Working smoke alarms alerted residents, who were able to evacuate the apartment building unharmed.  

Following a request for SFM deputies to investigate the fire, it was determined the fire was intentionally set. Through the investigation, McBride was identified as the suspect.

The Office of State Fire Marshal would like to thank the Ville Platte Fire Department for their extensive efforts to assist with closing this case.

Any information about this case, or any fire-related crime, can be shared with the SFM by calling our Arson Hotline at 1-844-954-1221 or by submitting an online tip form on lasfm.org. All information can be shared anonymously.

Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Narcotic Agents and the Postal Inspector’s Office

Press Release

August 5, 2025

The Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Narcotic Agents and the Postal Inspector’s Office have been conducting an investigation of illegal drugs being mailed within Evangeline Parish. The investigations have led to two arrests of large amounts of marijuana, a hand gun and a large amount of US Currency. On August 1, 2025 narcotic agents were working with Homeland Security and State Police on a parcel package coming into the city of Ville Platte that contained 1 Kilogram “2.2lbs” of methamphetamines with a street value over $7000.00. Agents were able to intercept the illegal narcotics preventing the illegal narcotics from being distributed within Evangeline Parish. At this time, no arrest have been made, however the investigation is ongoing.