NEW ROADS - It's been a tumultuous year for the New Roads Police Department as the city is without a willing chief of police once again.

In February, Delaney Lee stepped down as chief amid allegations of an extra-marital relationship with another officer. A month later, Mayor Theron Smith appointed Cedrick Epps, and five months later he resigned. The circumstances surrounding Epps' departure are unclear.

"Any reason I would give would just be pure speculation. I know he was in good standing with me, with the city," Mayor Smith said.

Smith admits he wasn't expecting to have to do this again, thinking on both occasions he had chosen someone who was going to stick around.

"Ultimately I pick them. Just like the next chief — I will pick them. Whether or not I allow other people to have a formal process or not, we may do that. But I picked them according to our charter."

Dr. Monica Fabre, a life-long resident of Pointe Coupee Parish and the president of its NAACP, says the selection process needs to be more open.

"The citizens of New Roads deserve that chief of police position being open so that we can recruit qualified people that could recruit officers. That wasn't done," she said.

According to Mayor Smith, the department currently has five full-time officers, down from the usual eight.

"The state of the New Roads Police Department is that we are currently short staffed," Smith said.

On top of the chief resigning, two veteran officers have also left. Smith says they left on their own accord — but Fabre says otherwise.

"They were fired because they had a question for the mayor regarding how, or his process, of selecting the police chief that just resigned," she said.

Fabre says she along with others in the city feel they aren't being adequately protected, and that it's up to Mayor Smith to fix it.

"When the officers began to resign and you begin to get word that you only have three people on a shift, then two people on a shift — then the question becomes, what did you do as the leader as the head of the police?"

Smith says he will be posting the job opening soon and will be accepting applications.

"I think the citizens can be assured that they will be safe whether that be solely with new roads personnel or supplementing it with the sheriff's department if necessary," he said.

The Pointe Coupee Sheriff's Office has agreed to provide any supplemental help it can.