After Alexandria’s Police Chief Jerrod King was put on administrative leave last Friday by Mayor Jeff Hall, there still aren’t any answers as to why King was disciplined. Mayor Hall’s administration has stayed silent, only giving the media a statement that said the city does not comment on personnel matters. However, multiple sources have told KALB that Mayor Hall put King on administrative leave after violating a city media policy. But a Facebook live video may give some insight into if the disciplinary action against Chief King has to do with violating media policy.

On Tuesday, Mayor Hall went on KTTP 1110 AM radio show “Eyes Open with Tony Brown.” On Tony Brown’s Facebook page that publicly hosts the show's content, he posted a live Facebook video that showed off-air discussions between Brown and Mayor Hall that lasted around 40 minutes including the on-air interview. During the off-air conversation, which continued to stream live on Facebook and remained on Brown’s page Tuesday, Brown brought up the issue of the disciplinary action against Chief King.

Originally, the FB Live video was embedded here. Brown pulled the video from his page on Tuesday night. However, News Channel Five has it archived.

Brown-“I don't think there should be anybody that was on Jacques Roy's administration in your administration. Now, I can understand a year or two years to filter them out and get your people in, and to me that includes the chief. You deserve the right to pick your own chief. Let me take this off the mic. You and I will talk later. Normally I don’t have a problem letting anyone know what I say.”

Mayor Hall-“I think you're doing it the right way.”

Brown-“Bottom line, it just wasn't right. It's a policy and a procedure.”

Mayor Hall-“We are in a position as we communicate to people. We don't want people going the wrong direction with the wrong emotion. We want a foundation that is solid as a public communicator as a public official that I am. We have to be careful because folks interpret things that we do and say in many different ways."

Brown-"If you got people going half-cocked on social media..."

Mayor Hall-"Exactly."

Brown-"All municipalities from Baton Rouge to New Orleans to Lake Charles have established social media policies."

Hall-"Right."

Brown-"If you are an employee, state employee, city employee, bottom line there is a policy that you have to adhere to, but if you are on your personal page..."

Mayor Hall-"Right."

During the conversation, they never discussed a specific social media post or media appearance by King that violated the city’s policy. These are the first published comments from Mayor Hall regarding the issue of Chief King being put on administrative leave other than a statement issued Monday.

Mayor Hall’s administration told KALB that they will not discuss personnel issues due to policy. After we sent a public information request for more details on disciplinary actions against Chief King, a paralegal for the City of Alexandria, LaKisha R. Dotson-Valentine, sent KALB this statement.

“Please be advised that the issue concerning Chief King is a civil service, personnel matter, and any details relating to the ongoing investigation are confidential until the matter is completed. To protect the privacy of all parties and comply with due process requirements, no details of any kind will be divulged during the pendency of the investigation.”

After a public records request by KALB on Friday for a copy of the city’s social media policy, it was released to KALB from the city attorney’s office on Tuesday. It included three PDF files of social media policy, prepared by Chief of Staff Susan Broussard. The policies address what an employee can and cannot post on accounts, stating “you are solely responsible for what you post online.” Also, “everything on the internet is public, and everything you post is digitally archived and permanently available, think before you post.”

Section 4.8 of the Mayor’s social media policy talks about releasing the personal information of other employees. It states:

“Depending on your job, you may have access to personal information of other employees or members of the public. Certain types of information, including personnel data, are legally protected and confidential. Any disclosure of legally protected, confidential information, whether through social media or otherwise, will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. It is your responsibility to be aware of whether information is legally protected, confidential information.”

KALB has requested a written copy of the city’s policy for discussing personnel matters.

We have attached the city's social media policy.

For our previous coverage on Chief King and Mayor Hall, check the 'Related Links' tab.