A new era began Monday for Mandeville Police as Captain Ron Ruple took over as the chief of police.

WWL-TV

Ron Ruple, Mandeville Police Chief

Longtime Chief Tom Buell retired in the wake of a scathing State Legislative Auditor's report released in August of 2008.  The report revealed only 28 percent of the money raised under the Toys for Tots banner, money which Buell controlled, was spent appropriately. 

The report said most of the money was spent on things like Christmas parties and gifts for city employees.

Chief Buell's last day was December 31.

"In order for the officers to move forward, yeah, I think that's a positive move,” said Ruple.  “I think the officers see it as a positive move and a chance for freshness and to have that cloud removed from them a little bit."

Also in the summer of 2008, the Metropolitan Crime Commission released a study of the Mandeville Police Department.  They found positives like an excellent response time to emergency calls and high retention of officers, but also negatives like poor management, and a lack of vision. 

Ruple now inherits those problems.  He said his first order of business is to finish a new operations manual.  The MCC study called the old one, out of date.

"The manual was fairly old,” admitted Ruple. “We were in the process of updating that, and I think moving forward and getting that done fairly quickly is important to the officers," Ruple said.

The study also found, morale to be low. Ruple said that probably was true, but that with a fresh start, it is likely to change.

Under Tom Buell, the Chief's job had Civil Service protection.  Mayor Eddie Price wants to change that, but to do so, he'll have to go through the State Legislature.  He has the support of the City Council and the Metropolitan Crime Commission in doing away with the job's Civil Service Protection, but because it needs Legislative approval, it'll be at least May before Price can begin the interview process.

Ruple will be in charge at least until then.  He says, he'll probably apply for the permanent job.

Chief Buell's salary was $96,000 a year, so Mayor Eddie Price says, he expects a lot of qualified applicants.