LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – One Louisiana State Representative is getting involved after learning that Lafayette Police officer Hali Bradford is paying for her own medical treatment after being injured in the line of duty. The elected official hopes a bill he plans to propose can help officers not just in Acadiana, but across the state.
“The officer came to the state capitol and was honored for being injured in the line of duty. Everybody stood up and clapped and cheered, and everybody came and hugged her. I talked to afterwards and to find out that your bills aren’t covered for an insurance that you have as a police officer just doesn’t make any sense. So somebody has got to answer some type of question for me,” State Representative for District 44 Tehmi Chassion said.
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He says he first heard of Officer Bradford’s situation through Michael Brown, a member of law enforcement and President of the Noble National Organization for Black Law Enforcement Executives, or NOBLE. Brown wanted to know how this could happen.
“For anybody that’s performing this duty, I mean, it could be firefighters as well, for you to not be able to have your medical bills covered completely and you’re injured in the line of duty, just it just doesn’t make any sense. So, it’s something that hopefully we can get done with the help of republicans and democrats alike. Nobody should fight this, and we’ll try and help her out.”
Representative Chassion is now pushing for a bill to help officers like Bradford.
His idea is a disability fund that will be funded by the state. Officers injured in the line of duty could use that money if their medical coverage doesn’t cover everything.
“It’s just simply there. It’s something to, it’s a backup in case your worker’s comp doesn’t take care of business like they should,” he added.
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The state’s regular session does not begin until March, so it’s a way away. In the meantime, Chassion says he is pushing for an investigation to find out what happened in Officer Bradford’s case and if this is happening to officers elsewhere.
“I mean, you’re seeing, you know, crowd sourcing and fundraising occurring. I mean, that’s ridiculous to think that she was risk in her life to help us out, and I mean, it’s our job as lawmakers, legislators to help her out in the meantime,” he added. “They’re here working to protect us, and we have to protect them.”
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