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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> o LOUISf DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> ti LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> P.O. BOX 4368 <br /> * * BATON ROUGE, LA 70821 <br /> cocE. (225)219-5600 <br /> «o..• <br /> FAX (225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> www.ethics.la.gov <br /> May 10, 2021 <br /> Jack Sessions <br /> Chief of Police <br /> Pearl River Police Department <br /> 39470 Willis Alley <br /> Pearl River, Louisiana 70452 <br /> Re: Louisiana Board of Ethics <br /> Docket No. 2021-143 <br /> Dear Mr. Sessions, <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its meeting on May 7, 2021, considered your request for <br /> an advisory opinion as to whether the Code of Governmental Ethics ("Code") would <br /> prohibit the Pearl River Police Department from hiring Elexis Emmitt as a <br /> Communications Officer. <br /> FACTS PROVIDED <br /> Elexis Emmitt has applied for the position of Communications Officer with the Pearl River <br /> Police Department. The Communications Division is supervised by Lt. David Dean. Ms. <br /> Emmitt's mother, Somer Emmitt, is employed in the Communications Division as a mid- <br /> level, first-line supervisor. Somer Emmitt reports to Lt. Dean. <br /> PROPOSED DISQUALIFICATION PLAN <br /> The disqualification plan proposes that Lt. Dean, in his capacity as Supervisor of the <br /> Communications Division,will directly supervise Elexis Emmitt and will handle all issues, <br /> such as scheduling, leave requests, promotions, counseling, etc., that may affect Ms. <br /> Emmitt's employment. Any further approval will be forwarded up the chain of command <br /> as necessary. Somer Emmitt will have no supervisory authority over her daughter. <br /> LAW <br /> La. R.S. 42:1119A: No member of the immediate family of an agency head shall be <br /> employed in his agency. La. R.S. 42:1102(13) defines "immediate family" to include a <br /> public servant's child. La. R.S. 42:1102(3) defines "agency head" to mean the chief <br /> executive or administrative officer of an agency who exercises supervision over the agency. <br /> La. R.S. 42:1112B(1) states that no public servant shall participate in a transaction <br /> involving the governmental entity in which, to his actual knowledge, any member of his <br /> Page 1 of 2 (Docket No. 2021-143) <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />