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By Alice Gibbs
Senior Reporter
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A candidate who is on bond after being charged with two counts of second-degree rape is set to become a chief of police in Louisiana.
Christopher "Chris" Paul was arrested last month after being accused of raping two 13-year-old girls 20 years ago. He is also currently running unopposed to become the chief of police for Village of Elizabeth in Allen Parish.
Paul was originally running against Zachary Lacaze, who dropped out of the race last week after being told to choose between his candidacy and his civilian security job at Fort Polk.
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Sheriff Doug Hebert told Newsweek that Paul was arrested after turning himself in on September 8, 2026 for two counts of second degree rape after a complaint was received against him on August 3.
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As a result of his non-partisan running mate dropping out, Paul, who is listed as a Republican, is now running unopposed for the police chief role. The Secretary of State’s Office has confirmed that Paul is eligible to hold office unless he is convicted of a felony.
Newsweek reached out to Chris Paul and the Mayor's Office for Village of Elizabeth via email for comment.
Town Mayor Reacts
Mayor Mandy Leo Green released a statement on Wednesday evening attempting to alleviate concerns.
"I hear your concerns regarding the upcoming election for Chief of Police," Green said, writing on Facebook that "charges are allegations, not a conviction."
"The candidate in question has been arrested and charged, but has not been convicted of any crime. Under the law, anyone accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This is an important part of our justice system," she added.
Green noted that neither the Mayor’s Office nor the Board of Aldermen can alter the ballot and that they have no authority to disqualify or remove any candidate.
"Moving forward, my administration will always act in the best interests of our community. Together with the Board of Aldermen, we remain committed to total transparency, maintaining an open-door policy, and navigating these circumstances together with you," she explained.
Running Mate Steps Down
Matters were complicated when Lacaze, who was running against Paul, announced he was stepping down on September 23.
"With a heavy heart, I have to announce that I am withdrawing from the race for Chief of Police for the Village of Elizabeth," he wrote. "I did not want to quit. I wanted this position. I wanted the opportunity to serve my hometown and the people I love."
He explained that he was informed he could not continue his campaign while keeping his civilian security job.
"As much as I love being a police officer and as much as I wanted to be your Chief of Police, I have a responsibility to my family. My full-time job is what provides for my wife and son, and I cannot take that away from them," Lacaze said.
Meeting Weighs Up Changing System
A specially called public meeting on September 25 focused on whether the village should move from having an elected police chief to an appointed police chief system.
Several residents spoke in favor of the change, arguing that an appointed chief would bring greater accountability and make it easier to ensure the chief is qualified for the job.
Mayor Green said many of the village's 400 residents believe she has authority over an elected police chief but that is not the case.
Councilman Ken Kelly argued that an elected chief is largely independent of the council. He said the council can pass ordinances but cannot force an elected chief to enforce them, whereas an appointed chief would be accountable to the governing authority.
At the end of the meeting, officials scheduled a December 12 referendum asking voters whether the village should replace its system of having an elected police chief with an appointed chief.
Update 10/02/26 05:39 a.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: John Fitzpatrick, Cristina Diciu and Tony Phillips.
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