"Certain person" Councilman James Green May Have Committed A Felony— Impersonating An Officer Is A Crime
At the end of August, AGR citing reports from KTBS, 710KEEL and footage from the Shreveport City Council reported that City Council Chairman James Green, weeks before the ‘pay-gate’ scandal broke was already in hot water with the City Marshal’s Office on allegations he misused an honorary badge and card after he accused Shreveport PD of pulling him over for “Driving While Black.”
Jonathan Ponder, a public information officer for the marshal’s office responding to a public records request from AGR informed us as follows confirming reports that Green had ZERO authority to present those credentials to SPD when they pulled him over:
Shreveport City Councilman James Green had a “Special Deputy” ID, not a commission card during previous Marshal’s term. He held an expired “Special Deputy” Card ID card and “Special Deputy” badge since Marshal James Jefferson became interim or elected as City Marshal.
Shreveport City Councilman James Green does not have an active Special Deputy or commission card.
Shreveport City Councilman James Green first had a “Special Deputy” ID card during Marshal Charlie Caldwell, Jr.’s first term in 2008. The issued date was 01/01/2008. The Special Deputy Card expiration date was the end of Marshal Charlie Caldwell, Jr.’s term. However, with the untimely passing of Marshal Charlie Caldwell, Jr., the card expired or became inactive with his passing.
Since the “Special Deputy” card is not a commission card, the Shreveport City Councilman James Green did not have to complete any training pursuant to L.R.S. 40:2405. The card did not give him any arrest powers or police authority. The “Special Deputy” card did not have the oath of office on the card like Shreveport City Marshal’s Office commission cards, and Councilman Green was not given an Oath of Office to carry the “Special Deputy” card.
A few years ago, Marshal Charlie Caldwell, Jr. changed the “Special Deputy” card and badge to “Honorary Deputy.” The change was to make sure that it was clear that the “Honorary Deputy” was just that, an honorary member of the office with no power or authority as a Deputy Marshal.
Where the situation lapses from unprofessional behavior to a possible violation of the law is when Green was asked by an SPD Officer if he had a commission card to accompany his badge and he responded as follows: "Yes, I have a commission card for the.. uh.. the uh... City Marshal... yes I do."
Ponder, as previously reported by AGR and KTBS Ponder described the honorary badge and accompanying card as a “showpiece.”
The implication is that they are not intended for carrying on one’s person or in a vehicle but rather for display purposes not unlike a faux or ‘museum quality’ pistol, rifle, or sword. One would expect to find the badge, card, and the Louisiana State Trooper Patch he kept prized on a shelf, in a trophy case on a desk, or under glass in a shadow box…. not in Green’s glove box.
Under Louisiana Statute RS 14:112.1 Green could theoretically have opened himself up to be charged with the crime of “False personation of a peace officer or firefighter”
The Statute reads (Bolded for emphasis):
False personation of a peace officer or firefighter is the performance of any one or more of the following acts with the intent to injure or defraud or to obtain or secure any special privilege or advantage:
(1) Impersonating any peace officer or firefighter or assuming, without authority, any uniform or badge by which a peace officer or firefighter is lawfully distinguished.
(2) Performing any act purporting to be official in such assumed character.
(3) Making, altering, possession, or use of a false document or document containing false statements which purports to be a training program certificate or in-service training certificate or other documentation issued by the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training, pursuant to R.S. 40:2405, which certifies the peace officer has successfully completed the requirements necessary to exercise his authority as a peace officer.
(4) Equipping any motor vehicle with lights or sirens which simulate a law enforcement vehicle.
And it isn’t as though this is an unenforced little-known law either. In November of 22’ Brad A. Jordon Jr. ran afoul of Monroe Police when he showed them a LA commission card that displayed Deputy Officer for the Lake Providence Police Department. He claimed to still be an officer though he’d been fired two years before according to WKRG.
In August 2018 former Deputy Ryan Scott McCauley was arrested for impersonating a St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Officer during a stop in in Lafayette Parish.
Sheriff Bobby J. Guidroz indicated that impersonation is taken quite seriously saying, “Since his arrest, reports have come in that McCauley has done this in the past throughout Acadiana. Citizens should be leery of anyone showing a police Id on their phone and notify authorities immediately.”
In Green’s recorded statement to Shreveport officers: "Yes, I have a commission card for the.. uh.. the uh... City Marshal... yes I do,” Green could be reasonably said to be in possession and use of a false document which he “purports to be a training program certificate or in-service training certificate or other documentation.”
Also, the manner in which he infamously presented himself as a “certain person” heavily implies that he was making these statements and showing these articles with the intent to “obtain or secure any special privilege or advantage.”
Should the City Marshal, the Shreveport Police Department, or Caddo Parish DA James E. Stewart, Sr. choose to pursue charges against Councilman Green, which seemingly could be warranted, he could see a fine of up to $1,000 and/or two years in prison with or without hard labor. And under Shreveport Ordinance Section 3.03 conviction of a felony could definitely see him removed from office.