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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> ,,,,P LOU744 DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> •/, °" 9t: LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> ��� P.O. BOX 4368 <br /> u, Ali <br /> '<l 1 BATON ROUGE, LA 70821 <br /> ". " d (225)219-5600 <br /> owm nad <br /> FAX (225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> wwwethicsstatela us <br /> January 24, 2017 <br /> J. Shannon Womack <br /> Denham Springs Police Department <br /> 447 Lamm St. <br /> Denham Springs, LA 70726 <br /> Re: Ethics Board Docket No. 2016-1205 <br /> Dear Mr. Womack: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its January 20, 2017 meeting, considered your request <br /> for an advisory opinion regarding whether your wife, Roxanna Womack, can continue <br /> her employment with the Denham Springs Police Department (Department) while you <br /> serve as Police Chief. You stated that you married Mrs. Womack on June 1, 2013. You <br /> further stated that Mrs. Womack has been employed with the Department since July of <br /> 2012, and she currently serves as a Differential Response Officer. Finally, you stated that <br /> you were promoted from Police Captain to Provisional Police Chief on April 28, 2016, <br /> and you are under consideration for appointment as the permanent Police Chief. <br /> The Board concluded, and instructed me to inform you, that the Code of Governmental <br /> Ethics would not prohibit Roxanna Womack from continuing her employment with the <br /> Denham Springs Police Department while you serve as Police Chief. La. R.S. 42:1119A <br /> prohibits a member of the immediate family of an agency head from being employed in <br /> his agency. However, La. R.S. 42:1119C allows a public employee that has been <br /> employed for at least one year prior to her immediate family member becoming the <br /> . agency head to continue her employment and receive normal promotional advancements. <br /> Since Mrs. Womack has been employed with the Department for more than one year <br /> prior to you becoming the Police Chief, it would not present a violation of La. R.S. <br /> 42:1119B if she continues her employment. <br /> The Board further instructed me to inform you that La. R.S. 42:1112B(1) would prohibit <br /> you, as the Police Chief, from participating in a transaction involving your governmental <br /> entity in which Mrs. Womack has a substantial economic interest. In accordance with La. <br /> R.S. 42:1112C and Chapter 14 of the Administrative Rules for the Board of Ethics, a <br /> disqualification plan that completely removes you from any responsibility regarding Mrs. <br /> Womack's employment must be submitted to the Board for approval. A copy of Chapter <br /> 14 of the Administrative Rules for the Board of Ethics is enclosed. <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />