By KEVIN CHIRI
Slidell news bureau
SLIDELL – As expected, Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal will be heading into campaign mode the next two months after a first-time political candidate qualified to challenge him in the March 26 election.
Rhett Rodriguez, a 19-year veteran with the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office, confirmed late last year that he planned to run against Fandal for the chief of police job, as Fandal seeks what would be his second and final term on the job due to city term limits.
No other candidates qualified to run for the chief’s position when sign up ended last Friday.
Fandal is running on his record of the past four years when he pointed to his focus on community policing to improve the relationship of city police officers with the public.
He backed that up by listing the Kids & Police program (KAPs), the two-year run as part of the nationally televised Live PD program, Operation Snow that connects officers and kids, the formation of the Friends of the Slidell Police Foundation, the annual Pink Police Car for Breast Cancer Research, and the SPD Social Media presence.
Fandal and Chief Financial Officer Det. Daniel Seuzeneau also were able to get support from the Slidell mayor and City Council to pass the most comprehensive pay upgrade in the history of the SPD that now has city officers earning the top dollar of any starting officers in any parish agency. There are additional perks in the plan that include incentive pay for specialty work, all that has helped the PD fill six positions and bring their department to complete staffing.
Additionally, he noted the success of the Social Media presence for the SPD, now with over 105,000 followers.
“Not only has that connected us closely with the public, but it has proven to be a great tool to help with law enforcement,” Fandal said.
Fandal recently released the 2021 crime statistics for Slidell that showed an overall drop of 22.5 percent in total crimes, along with steady low totals in violent crimes such as murder and rape.
Rodriguez’s name was immediately recognizable when he began erecting campaign signs in the fall of 2021, since he is the son of former Slidell Police Chief Max Rodriguez, who served in the city from 1978 to 1990.
Rodriguez said he always wanted to go into law enforcement, but particularly chose to seek employment with the Sheriff’s Office so there would not be any hint of advancing due to the connection with his father’s name.
With the Sheriff’s Office he has served in various roles, including criminal patrol, court security, radio room, jail, search and rescue, civil work and investigations.
In an earlier interview with The Slidell Independent, he said he believed Fandal has done a good job as police chief, “but I think I can be a great chief for Slidell. I want to provide more training for our officers, especially since we now have a younger force with a lot of longtime officers retiring.”
Rodriguez had to resign his position with the Sheriff’s Office so he could run for Slidell chief.