Christopher Paul, accused of raping two girls in 2005 and 2006, is set to be elected unopposed as police chief in Elizabeth, Louisiana, on November 3. Zachary LaCaze, his only opponent, withdrew due to a conflict with his federal government job. The town's mayor and governing council have stated that Paul remains eligible under the presumption of innocence until conviction, despite the serious charges pending against him. Voters will decide in a special election on December 12 whether future police chiefs should be appointed by the village board rather than elected.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-11,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Christopher Paul, a Republican candidate for police chief in Elizabeth, a small town in Allen Parish, Louisiana, is set to win the position unopposed despite facing two charges of child rape. He was arrested on 8 September after signing up as a candidate on 6 August. The allegations stem from incidents involving two girls in 2005 and 2006. Zachary LaCaze, the only other candidate, withdrew due to his federal employment status becoming invalid post-deadline for candidacy registration. This leaves Paul, who is out on $60,000 bail, as the sole contender for the November 3 election. The town is now considering changing how police chiefs are appointed to avoid electing someone with pending criminal charges.
Written for “Child Rapist Police Chief Controversy” on 2026-10-11,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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Leaning: leans right for article 71793 (medium confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-10-11
A candidate for police chief in a small Louisiana town candidate is on course to be elected unopposed despite two charges of child rape pending against him, leaving his community to weigh whether to convert the position into an appointed office rather than one determined at the ballot box.
asserted
candidate → elect → box
Christopher Paul, a Republican who on 6 August signed up to run for chief of police in the south-western Louisiana village of Elizabeth, was arrested on 8 September on allegations that he raped two girls in 2005 and 2006.
asserted
he → sign → 2005
Zachary LaCaze was the only other candidate to qualify to run in the 3 November election for Elizabeth police chief.
asserted
LaCaze → qualify → chief
However, LaCaze announced that he was withdrawing from the race on 23 September after learning that his candidacy was illicit because he worked for the federal government.
asserted
he → announce → government
“My full-time job is what provides for my wife and son, and I cannot take that away from them,” LaCaze, who listed no party affiliation, wrote in a social media post.
asserted
who → provide → post
“So, as much as it hurts me, I have to step away from this election.”
asserted
I → hurt → election
LaCaze’s withdrawal came well after the deadline for candidates to sign up to run had passed.
asserted
candidates → come → ?
Meaning Paul would be elected by default while out on $60,000 bail in connection with the child rape allegations made against him by the sheriff’s office of Allen parish, Louisiana, whose jurisdiction includes Elizabeth.
asserted
jurisdiction → mean → Elizabeth
Only a felony conviction would result in Paul, 46, becoming ineligible to take office when the Elizabeth police chief term begins on 1 January.
asserted
term → result → January
And with that date looming, it was unclear when or how the case against Paul might be resolved.
uncertain
case → loom → Paul
The Youth Peace & Justice Foundation, a national non-profit organization dedicated to preventing violence against children, called on Paul to step aside from running in the 3 November election with the case against him pending, the Louisiana news outlet KPLC reported.
asserted
outlet → dedicate → him
Elizabeth’s mayor, Mandy Leo Green, issued a separate statement saying that neither her office nor the village governing council “can alter the ballot” for the 3 November race despite “concerns regarding the … election”.
asserted
office → issue → election
“Charges are allegations, not a conviction,” Green said.
asserted
Green → say → ?
“The candidate in question has been arrested and charged, but has not been convicted of any crime.
asserted
candidate → arrest → crime
Under the law, anyone accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
asserted
anyone → accuse → law
In the meantime, Elizabeth’s governing council approved a special 12 December election for community voters to determine whether the village’s police chief should be by appointment subject to board approval, documents show.
asserted
documents → govern → approval
The council’s minutes do not indicate to what extent Paul’s unopposed police chief election motivated the scheduling of that special election.
asserted
election → indicate → election
It is unclear when the village’s office of the police chief would become by appointment if voters ratified that proposed change.
uncertain
voters → become → change
Louisiana law also allows voters to recall elected officials.
asserted
voters → allow → officials
In a community the size of Elizabeth, that would require 40% of qualified voters to sign a recall petition by hand, according to the Louisiana agency which administers elections.
uncertain
which → require → elections
Paul, on Saturday, said he had no comment when asked if he would discuss his run for Elizabeth police chief.
asserted
he → say → chief
The Aporia
