Councilman Boucher: Police Union Attack ‘Somewhat Hurtful’ [VIDEO]

Councilman Grayson Boucher responds to a public relations attack by the Shreveport Police Officers Association and clarifies his position on how to pay for raises for SPD officers.

The union, which put up three billboards in southeast Shreveport, accused Boucher of indifference to the city's crime and violence problems and the officers leaving the SPD for better law enforcement positions.

"It is so0mewhat hurtful," Boucher says, "Especially for me, who's spent thirty years in public service and public safety (as a) fire chief, my wife's a police officer. So, it's pretty hurtful. I get that it's politics, that's kind of what you get, it's what you signed up for. I will say this. Over the past two years my skin has gotten extremely thick."

After dismissing charges that he is biased toward firefighters, Boucher reiterates his position on raises. "I've said all along to Sergeant Carter and Councilwoman Fuller...that I would only go along with the plan that had the approval of both the police and fire chiefs. These plans went through almost a three month process with the Public Safety Committee and that's where things should start and these are the plans that the fire chief and police chief brought to us and felt that this is what they could do with the budget restraints that they have right now"

The Councilman then addresses his position on the SPOA plan to reallocate department money to pay for an officers' pay increase. "I do support it," he says, despite those claims by union President Michael Carter that he does not. "That's the misunderstanding. I do support it. It's just not fiscally possible to do from what the police chief is telling us."