Lawyer John W. Milton praised Police Chief Ricky Martin for showing up to the town hall meeting but also called for a change of the form of city government to a form of government that would increase the mayor’s power to greater than that of the city council.

ST. MARTINVILLE — The town hall meeting held in Adam Carlson Memorial Park Thursday evening was a paradox unto itself.

On the one hand, Mayor Melinda Mitchell branded the event as a call for community unity. On the other, only Mitchell and District 4 Councilman Juma Johnson were in attendance from the city government.

Then, as Police Chief Ricky Martin called for people to become involved in the law enforcement process, to reach out to him or his officers, he was besieged on all sides, from Nary Smith calling for Martin to fire several officers on one side, from Lawrence “Nanny” Mitchell on the other, complaining about the citations and arrests he has been subject to during his wife’s tenure as mayor.

Even when John W. Milton, the attorney who represented Lawrence Mitchell in some of his hearings after Mayor Pro Tem Craig Prosper had a restraining order placed against him, called for the gathered residents to respect Martin for coming to the town hall to speak, he turned his comments toward revoking the city’s special charter, basically going back to a strong mayor-weak council form of government under the state’s Lawrason Act.

The voices of the citizens, though, were focused on their neighborhoods. Lynette Thibodaux asked Martin why a man who was known to have been involved in shootings was still on the street.

“Why can a kid who shoots someone still be out two years later?” Thibodaux asked.

“We are working with the District Attorney’s Office on that,” Martin said, explaining that a list of open offenses that had not been prosecuted was on its way to the 16th JDC District Attorney Friday morning.

Smith’s arguments returned to the police department’s past, to convicted former St. Martinville Police officer Codi Dodge, who was convicted of civil rights violations in 2019. The incident his conviction was based on, however, occurred in 2016, well before Martin took over the department.

Martin was also questioned about unsolved cases, like the 2015 shooting death of Bianca Davis and the 2016 death of Susan George.

“It is hard when you are starting from scratch,” Martin said. “When you are a couple of years down the road, it makes it difficult.”

Martin did have a conversation with Smith after he finished speaking, the two men moving into the parking lot to discuss Smith’s questions and arguments.

Martin said he was working to implement programs to help improve the relationship between the community and his officers, including a police academy for the public so that they would understand more readily the challenges police officers face.

“A lot of people do not understand the process,” Martin said.

He also asked for unity between the community and the administration.

“The people need to get along with the mayor and the council,” he said. “The council needs to work with the mayor. And the mayor needs to work with the council.”

The call for unity, however, was lost in the murmurs of agreement as Milton told the crowd they needed to organize and remove the city’s special charter. He credited Martin for coming forth to speak to the residents, but also said they had a right to be angry.

“You are right in your indignation,” Milton said.

Overall, though, the people who attended did not seem to have their minds changed in one way or the other.

“You would have already had a relationship if your officers would talk to people when they are out,” one resident said to Martin. “They just drive by and don’t say a word.”