The city of Lafayette swore in a new chief of police Monday.
Lafayette’s previous chief, Patrick Flannelly, announced his retirement last year after serving as chief since 2012. During the swearing-in, Flannelly called incoming chief Scott Galloway a man of integrity.
“Our community will embrace him because they can trust him, because I know I certainly trust him,” he said.
“He’s going to take the baton and keep right on moving,” Flannelly added.
Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski commented on the pressures of Galloway’s new role.
“He now assumes command of a position that will test him to his core,” he said. “It will push him to use all of his instincts, resources, common sense to daily make the right decisions. At the end of the day, as these chiefs here will tell you, he has to make them. There’s nobody left to turn to to do it for you.”
Chief Galloway addressed his vision for the LPD, saying that he wants to build a “positive, service-oriented” department.
“It is our job to earn the respect of the community,” he said.
Galloway added that the new police public safety building going up in the city was a sign of the public’s respect for law enforcement.
“It is a significant symbol of the willingness of our community to cooperate with police,” he said.
A retirement party will be held for Flannelly on April 1.
