Lentini v. City of Kenner

202 So. 2d 309, 1967 La. App. LEXIS 4983
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJuly 5, 1967
DocketNo. 2700
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 202 So. 2d 309 (Lentini v. City of Kenner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lentini v. City of Kenner, 202 So. 2d 309, 1967 La. App. LEXIS 4983 (La. Ct. App. 1967).

Opinions

CHASEZ, Judge.

The defendant-appellants, City of Ken-ner, its Mayor Edward D’Gerolamo, and its Aldermen, Raymond Dupepe, Lebo Man-cuso, and Michael Damiano, appeal from a judgment rendered against appellants (and two other defendants, i. e. Joseph Yenni and Anthony Bertolino; also Aldermen of the City of Kenner who did not appeal) by the 24th Judicial District Court for the Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana in favor of plaintiff-appellee, Salvador J. Lentini, Marshal of the City of Kenner, decreeing Sections IV and V of Ordinance No. 936 enacted by the City of Kenner to be ultra vires acts of the Board of Aldermen of the [312]*312City of Kenner affecting the power and authority of the Marshal of the 'City of Kenner in contravention of law and to be null and void; and, further, permanently enjoining and restraining the City of Ken-ner, its Mayor and Board of Aldermen from enforcing the provisions of said Sections of said ordinance.

The Sections referred to read as follows:

“SECTION IV. Duties of Marshal and Chief of Police.
(1) Such officer shall conduct such schools as the Board of Aldermen shall order.
(2) Such officer shall be a constable.
(3) Such officer shall personally investigate all felonies committed in the City of Kenner and issue a written report quarterly to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, describing the status of all felony cases under investigation.
(4) Such officer shall obtain from the Clerk of the 24th Judicial District Court all infdrmation of felonies occurring within the boundaries of the City of Kenner filed in said Court and aid in said prosecution and/or investigation necessary to bring said cases to a conclusion.
(5) Such officer shall investigate all abandoned vehicles causing obstruction of public property and make recommendations by report monthly to the Mayor and Board of Aider-men.
(6) Such officer shall have charge of:
(a) The central complaint desk and of dispatching of police records.
(b) Identification and custody of property to be used in evidence in Mayor’s Court or to be filed with the Clerk of the 24th Judicial District Court for evidence in said Court, or to be filed with the City Clerk for evidence in Mayor’s Court of the City of Kenner.
(7) Such officer shall be responsible for the operation of detention quarters and to assure that prisoners are properly cared for.
(8) Such officer shall supervise and have charge of the preparation of police reports for the prosecution of criminal cases and in cooperation with the City Clerk, to cause witnesses to attend' Court.
(9) Such officer shall have supervision of the taking of fingerprints and other techniques of criminal investigation.
SECTION V. Duties of the Police Captain (Senior in length of service under Civil Service Laws).
(1) Direct supervision of the motor patrol division and shall have charge of:
(a) The control of traffic and public safety.
(b) Traffic educational program.
(c) Direct raids and make arrests as necessary.
(2) Make all personnel and division assignments and post said assignments on the Police Bulletin Board and file a copy with the City Clerk and with the Marshal.
(3) Keep a list of all special deputies assigned to business or public gatherings. Instruct said deputies in their powers, duties and obligations. File said list with the City Clerk and Marshal.
(4) Be in charge of all City Police property such as motor vehicles so as to assure that vehicles are cared for in accordance with a schedule of preventive maintenance established by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen for City equipment.”

[313]*313The judgment of the lower Court was rendered pursuant to the petition of Salvador J. Lentini wherein it was alleged that the ordinance was null, void, illegal and unconstitutional in that it attempted to deprive the petitioner of the powers and emoluments of his office, to indirectly abolish the petitioner’s position as Marshal, and is so vague as to leave the petitioner completely at the mercy of the interpretation thereof by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the City of Kenner. In addition, the following allegations were made:

“V.
“That there are conflicts in the provisions of the ordinance which conflicts will strip petitioner of his authority, hamper the successful operation of his office and make it physically impossible to perform the duties as Marshal:
“Section 4(1) requires petitioner: ‘Conduct such schools as the Board of Aldermen shall order’, while Section 5 (1) (b) places the entire traffic educational program in the hands of the police captain rather than your petitioner.
“Section 4(1) is so broad, general, arbitrary and unreasonable as to place petitioner at the beck and call of the Board of Aldermen.
“Section 4(3) requires petitioner personally investigate all felonies committed in the City of Kenner as well as issuing written reports quarterly to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, describing the status of all felony cases under investigation. Although he is required personally to investigate all felonies, Section 5(1) (c) gives complete authority to the Police Captain rather than petitioner to direct raids and make arrests as necessary. That in the investigation of felonies, including, but not limited to narcotics, possession of stolen goods, burglary and pandering, raids are an effective means of obtaining evidence and securing arrests, and yet your petitioner while being required to personally investigate all felonies is deprived of any means of investigating felonies.
“Section 4(6) (a) states that petitioner shall have charge of: The central complaint desk and of dispatching police records; whereas Section 5, Sub-Section 2 gives complete authority to the Police Captain rather than petitioner to make all personnel and division assignments in the Police Department, and thus a conflict exists in petitioner effectively trying to dispatch policemen or units upon complaints received while the Police Captain has the authority to assign personnel to matters other than to those required by petitioner.
“Section 4(7) makes petitioner responsible for the operation of detention quarters and to make sure prisoners are properly cared for; while Section 5 (4) places the Police Captain ‘in charge of all City Police property.’
“Section 4(6) (b) places the responsibility upon petitioner as custodian of evidence to be used in the Mayor’s Court or the 24th Judicial District Court; while Section 5(4) is broad enough to permit the Police Captain to take complete charge of any and all evidence, documents, and demonstrative evidence.

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Related

Lentini v. City of Kenner
211 So. 2d 311 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1968)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
202 So. 2d 309, 1967 La. App. LEXIS 4983, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lentini-v-city-of-kenner-lactapp-1967.