An officer of the Alexandria Police Department has been charged with malfeasance in office and injuring public records. The charges stem from allegations that the officer engaged in wrongful conduct while on duty, and intentionally damaged official records.

In June 2023, the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations' Alexandria Field Office (LSP AFO) was asked by the Alexandria Police Department (APD) to look into the conduct of APD Officer Jim Lewis during a shoplifting arrest.

Lewis, who was on duty on March 10, 2023, saw a shoplifter running away from a nearby shop. He managed to catch the suspect and retrieve the stolen goods. Lewis subsequently returned the stolen items to the business to determine their worth.

The investigation and gathered details disclosed that Lewis manipulated data to inflate the overall worth of the pilfered goods. This augmentation of value escalated the seriousness of his criminal charge from a misdemeanor to a felony.

On the 3rd of August, 2023, a warrant was issued by LSP AFO for the arrest of Lewis on the charges of Malfeasance in Office and Injuring Public Records. Lewis was apprehended today based on the existing warrant and was incarcerated at the jail located at the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office.

The primary investigative authority will be the Louisiana State Police. The investigation is currently still in progress and active.

The Louisiana State Police offers a secure online reporting system to the public. This system allows citizens to conveniently report any suspicious activity to the appropriate investigators. The form can be accessed by visiting lsp.org and navigating to the Suspicious Activity link.

An arrest is an indication that probable cause exists to believe the subject was involved in the offense alleged. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.