Bossier City Council launches investigation into 'off the books' spending: Mayor Chandler says, Why investigate? I did it
Bossier City's Benton Road to see $2 million upgrade.
Bossier City weather — Today: Partly cloudy. Hot with highs in the mid-90s. Northeast winds around 5 mph, becoming northwest this afternoon. Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid-70s. Northwest winds around 5 mph, becoming east after midnight. Thursday: Mostly cloudy. Highs in the lower 90s. South winds around 5 mph, becoming northeast in the afternoon.
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Bossier City Council launches investigation into 'off the books' spending: Mayor Chandler says, Why investigate? I did it
In its first day of business, the newly sworn-in Bossier City councilmembers — three returning, four new — jumped out of the gate with a series of transparency and reform measures.
One adopted resolution establishes a Council investigative committee consisting of three City Council members to "review the use of public funds for parking lots at Scot's Audio and Bossier Power Equipment."
Sponsored by District 1's Brian Hammons, the resolution is related to the "free driveways" issue that Hammons first brought before the council in March.
"The mayor's office was doing an investigation and the report was supposed to be to us on May 20th," Council President Chris Smith said. "It's July 1st, so we're just going to go ahead and do it ourselves."
However, Mayor Chandler told BossierNow there's nothing to investigate.
"Why spend the money on an investigation when it's already been taken care of? It was access," the Mayor said. "You're going down Benton Road. You're going north. You go through that light. How are you going to be able to take a left to get to those businesses? You can't. If you want to turn and go to Scott's, you got to go through Power Equipment to get to them."
BossierNow: So did [City Attorney] Mr. Jacobs approve that? Or did you approve that?
"Tommy Chandler approved that," the mayor said. "Tommy Chandler saved the city a lot of money. It would have been under litigation."
In other business:
The council voted At-Large Councilmember Chris Smith as President and District 4's Joel Girouard as Vice President.
Introduced a Tax Reduction Audit of municipal finances for the past 12 years, sponsored by Chris Smith and Brian Hammons. The ordinance states that "Bossier City taxpayers deserve assurance that their tax dollars are being managed efficiently, responsibly, and lawfully" and "periodic, transparent financial reviews help identify waste, inefficiencies, non-compliance, and opportunities for tax relief or reinvestment." It will be up for a final vote at the Council's next meeting.
Adopted a Resolution adding the City Council President to the approval workflow for payments of $50,000 or more issued for legal settlements. This is another measure in response to the "free driveways" issue.
Adopted a Resolution creating standing committees of the Bossier City Council to promote efficient governance, oversight, and policy development.
City Council President Chris Smith: 'The people's business will not wait'
In an opening statement at Tuesday's first meeting of the new City Council, President Chris Smith said that government accountability "doesn't just happen in public forums and public speeches, but it also exists behind closed doors, in every department and in every level of city government."
Smith also set an independent tone for the council, saying that while he looked forward to a "collaborative partnership" with Mayor Chandler, the council would not shy from "setting the pace independently."
"I'll be clear, the people's business will not wait for perfect alignment or unanimous approval," Smith said. "We will always welcome cooperation at every level, but we remain as a unified council, fully prepared to lead decisively, transparently, even if that means setting the pace independently."
In recent years, the City Council has leveraged its power over the Chandler administration. One noted example was when former At-Large Councilmember David Montgomery, tossed out Mayor Chandler's budget for City raises — which had been developed according to a wage study the City had paid for — and instituted $500-a-month raises for all employees.
With Smith's comments, it seems the City Council is looking to maintain its authority over the administration.
Bossier City's Benton Road to see $2 million upgrade
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has announced a project to implement nearly three miles of roadway repairs on a heavily traveled section of Benton Road in Bossier City.
Work on the $2 million project is scheduled to begin on the night of Monday, July 7, 2025, and will include the removal and replacement of numerous concrete panels on Benton Road, from Old Minden Road to Viking Drive, as well as new roadway striping and signage, and related work.
To minimize inconvenience to the traveling public, lane closures are restricted to nighttime only on weekdays.
Motorists should be aware that intermittent lane closures may occur during the following days/times:
Monday – Thursday, 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Friday – Monday, 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. (lane closures may take place during the day on weekends only)
The project has been broken down into the following three phases:
Phase 1: Viking Drive to Douglas Drive
Phase 2: Douglas Drive to Shed Road
Phase 3: Shed Road to Old Minden Road
The contractor plans to begin working on the southbound lanes near the Viking Drive intersection on the night of Monday, July 7th.
The entire project is anticipated to wrap up in late Fall 2025, weather and other factors permitting.
Bossier City Police incidents and arrests report: June 29 - July 1, 2025
Hour by hour. Day and night. This is BossierNow’s reporting of Bossier City Police Department incidents and arrests. This report covers the actions that occurred from June 29 to July 1, 2025. Identities of subjects involved in misdemeanor arrests or traffic citations are withheld.
All persons named or shown are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
06/29/2025 00:34:00 Incident 400 Blk Coleman St Bossier City, La Possession Schedule II (Cleared By Arrest/Adult)
06/29/2025 00:37:00 Arrest 9400 Blk W. Montego St Shreveport, La D/P - Violent & Tumultuous Manner (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Male, Age 33
06/29/2025 00:40:00 Arrest 1800 Blk E Texas St Bossier City, La 1) D/P - Violent & Tumultuous Manner (Misdemeanor), and 2) Reckless Conduct (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Male, Age 26
06/29/2025 00:43:00 Arrest 1400 Blk Fullilove Dr Bossier City, La 1) D/P - Violent & Tumultuous Manner, and 2) Resisting An Officer (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Male, Age 19
06/29/2025 01:31:00 Arrest 1000 Blk Gould Dr Bossier City, La 1) D/P - Drunkenness (Misdemeanor), and 2) Entry On Or Remaining After Being Forbidden (Misdemeanor) White Or Caucasian, Male, Age 40
06/29/2025 01:37:00 Arrest 400 Blk Coleman St Bossier City, La 1) Possession Schedule II (Felony), and 2) Fugitive Arrest - SPD (Misdemeanor) Krysten Nelson, White Or Caucasian, Female, Age 32
06/29/2025 01:42:00 Arrest 400 Blk Coleman St Bossier City, Possession Schedule II (Felony) Andre Brewer, Black Or African American, Male, Age 55
06/29/2025 01:43:00 Arrest 400 Blk Coleman St Bossier City, La 1) Possession Schedule II (Felony), 2) Prohibited Acts - Drug Paraphernalia (Misdemeanor), 3) Resisting An Officer (Misdemeanor), and 4) Color Of Clearance, Identification, Side Marker, Backup Lamp (Misdemeanor) Elgin Cletrick Barden, Black Or African American, Male, Age 44
06/29/2025 01:44:00 Citation 411 Coleman St Bossier City Color Of Clearance, Identification, Side Marker, Backup Lamp 32:309: Color Of Clearance, Identification, Side Marker, Backup Lamp Black Or African American, Male, Age 44
06/29/2025 01:47:00 Incident 1700 Blk Fox St Bossier City, La Domestic Abuse Battery - Simple (Exceptionally Cleared)
06/29/2025 02:02:00 Incident 1000 Blk Gould Dr Bossier City, La D/P - Drunkenness (Cleared By Arrest/Adult)
06/29/2025 02:11:00 Incident 4400 Blk Deidra St Bossier City, La Simple Criminal Damage To Property (Exceptionally Cleared)
06/29/2025 02:40:00 Incident 700 Blk Horseshoe Blvd Bossier City, La Criminal Trespass (Cleared By Arrest/Adult)
06/29/2025 03:09:00 Arrest 700 Blk Horseshoe Blvd Bossier City, 1) Criminal Trespass (Misdemeanor), and 2) Fugitive Arrest-BPSO White Or Caucasian, Female, Age 26
06/29/2025 03:28:00 Arrest 1000 Blk Meadowview Dr Bossier City, La Failure To Appear-No Seatbelt (Misdemeanor) White Or Caucasian, Male, Age 27
06/29/2025 05:36:00 Arrest 3100 Blk Malvern St Bossier City, La Simple Criminal Damage To Property (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Female, Age 38
06/29/2025 09:37:00 Arrest 1200 Blk Elsa Jane St Bossier City, La 1) Domestic Abuse Battery - Simple (Misdemeanor), and 2) Violations Of Protective Orders (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Male, Age 51
06/30/2025 01:04:00 Arrest 700 Blk Horseshoe Blvd Bossier City, La Theft (Misdemeanor) White Or Caucasian, Male, Age 51
06/30/2025 01:06:00 Arrest 1900 Blk E Texas St Bossier City, La 1) Failure To Appear - Theft (Misdemeanor), and 2) Failure To Appear - Criminal Trespass (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Male, Age 33
06/30/2025 01:23:00 Arrest 700 Blk Horseshoe Blvd Bossier City, La Illegal Possession Of Stolen Things (Misdemeanor) White Or Caucasian, Male, Age 43
06/30/2025 01:33:00 Incident 2000 Blk Old Minden Rd Bossier City, La Theft - Shoplifting (Active)
06/30/2025 01:34:00 Arrest 2800 Blk Airline Dr Bossier City, La Theft - Shoplifting (Misdemeanor) White Or Caucasian, Male, Age 43
06/30/2025 01:40:00 Arrest 700 Blk Margaritaville Way Bossier City, La Theft Of A Motor Vehicle (Felony) Mustafa Naqvi, White Or Caucasian, Male, Age 43
06/30/2025 03:18:00 Arrest 400 Blk Hamilton Rd Bossier City, La Simple Burglary - Residence/Business (Felony) Kenjavion Pierre Hunter, Black Or African American, Male, Age 24
06/30/2025 04:07:00 Incident 3100 Blk Shed Rd Bossier City, La Simple Criminal Damage To Property (Cleared By Arrest/Adult)
06/30/2025 04:50:00 Arrest 3100 Blk Shed Rd Bossier City, La Simple Criminal Damage To Property (Felony) Deandre Devon Evans, Black Or African American, Male, Age 24
06/30/2025 06:00:00 Incident 2600 Blk Lamar St Bossier City, La Simple Burglary - From Motor Vehicle (Active)
06/30/2025 06:30:00 Incident 2600 Blk E Texas St Bossier City, La Theft (Active)
06/30/2025 06:41:00 Incident 200 Blk Avondale Ln Bossier City, La Simple Burglary - From Motor Vehicle (Active)
06/30/2025 08:07:00 Incident 1700 Blk E Texas St Bossier City, La Domestic Abuse Battery - Simple (Exceptionally Cleared)
06/30/2025 09:40:00 Incident 2000 Blk Alison Av Bossier City, La Simple Burglary - From Motor Vehicle (Active)
06/30/2025 12:20:00 Arrest 600 Blk Benton Rd Bossier City, La Court Ordered Sentencing - Hit And Run (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Female, Age 25
06/30/2025 12:29:00 Incident 2800 Blk Beene Blvd Bossier City, La Theft - Shoplifting (Cleared By Arrest/Adult)
07/01/2025 00:07:00 Arrest 1100 Blk Forum Dr Shreveport, La Theft (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Female, Age 30
07/01/2025 00:57:00 Incident 500 Blk Yarbrough St/Hill St Bossier City, La Possession Schedule II (Active)
07/01/2025 01:19:00 Arrest 2100 Blk Swan Lake Spur/Ann Scott St Bossier City, La 1) Driving On Roadway Laned For Traffic, 2) DUS - Driving Under Suspension (Misdemeanor), 3) Owner To Secure Registration (Misdemeanor), and 4) Expired Motor Vehicle Inspection Sticker (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Male, Age 27
07/01/2025 01:37:00 Arrest 700 Blk Hope St Shreveport, La Simple Criminal Damage To Property (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Female, Age 21
07/01/2025 01:37:00 Arrest 1100 Blk Benton Rd Bossier City, La Theft (Felony) Andre Kier Kitchen, White Or Caucasian, Male, Age 39
07/01/2025 02:56:00 Incident 700 Blk Margaritaville Way Bossier City, La Theft (Cleared By Arrest/Adult)
07/01/2025 04:14:00 Arrest 700 Blk Hope St Shreveport, La Failure To Appear-Switched Plates (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Male, Age 51
07/01/2025 04:19:00 Arrest 700 Blk Hope St Shreveport, La Failure To Appear-Improper Window Covering (Misdemeanor) White Or Caucasian, Male, Age 44
07/01/2025 05:11:00 Arrest 1100 Blk Forum Dr Shreveport, La Failure To Appear/Expired Plates (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Male, Age 33
07/01/2025 07:51:00 Arrest 600 Blk Benton Rd Bossier City, La 1) Probation Violation-Disturbing The Peace, and 2) Probation Violation-Resisting An Ofc. (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Male, Age 34
07/01/2025 08:56:00 Incident 2400 Blk Melrose Av Bossier City, La Theft (Active)
07/01/2025 16:39:00 Arrest 700 Blk Horseshoe Blvd Bossier City, La 1) D/P - Drunkenness (Misdemeanor), and 2) Resisting An Officer (Misdemeanor) White Or Caucasian, Male, Age 65
07/01/2025 17:36:00 Arrest 2900 Blk Rebel Dr Bossier City, La Simple Assault (Misdemeanor) Black Or African American, Female, Age 36
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