Louisiana Police Chief Announces Own Arrest on Facebook, Won’t ‘Affect’ His Job

Police tape in a stock photo. (Carl Ballou/Shutterstock)

A local police chief announced on Facebook that he was arrested by the Louisiana State Police, who accused him of taking about $4,000 in seized cash.

“I won’t debate the validity of the charge,” Grayson Police Chief Mitch Bratton wrote as he announced his own arrest in a Facebook on Thursday.

“A few weeks back, I contacted an outside agency to come look into some concerns that I had with a town employee. Today, while cooperating with the state police investigators, they charged me with obstruction of justice and malfeasance in office,” he added. He noted, “This does not affect me being the chief of police and I intend to be as accessible as I always have while I let the criminal justice system work this issue out.”

Bratton said that he appreciates “the concern from people that have already reached out, it means a lot.”

State police officials confirmed Bratton’s arrest in a news release.

His arrest came “initiated an investigation into the Grayson Police Department following a complaint of missing seized currency,” the agency said. “As a result of the investigation, LSP placed the Grayson Police Department Chief, Mitch Bratton, under arrest on charges of Obstruction of Justice and Malfeasance in Office.”

An investigation revealed that in two separate cases, Bratton allegedly seized $2,500 and $1,150.

“The seized currency could not be accounted for and was never logged as evidence. LSP investigators determined Bratton intentionally concealed the missing currency. Bratton was charged with two counts of Obstruction of Justice and one count of Malfeasance in office and booked into the Caldwell Parish Jail,” the release said.