Former Assistant Police Chief David McDavid announced his candidacy for Chief of Police of the City of Zachary on Monday, July 18. The special election to be held on October 22 has been called to fill the seat left vacant by the death of the previous Chief of Police, John Herty.

McDavid was with the Zachary Police Department for 27 years before resigning on July 13 to run for Chief of Police. During his tenure at the Police Department, McDavid oversaw the detectives division, the K-9 division, the traffic division and the communications division. As head of the detectives division he made hundreds of felony drug arrests and coordinated undercover drug operations in the Zachary area.

Before becoming a full-time officer, McDavid was a reserve officer and a volunteer firefighter for the City of Zachary. McDavid graduated from the LSU Basic Training Academy shortly after becoming a full-time officer with the Zachary Police Department. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the DEA Drug Commander School.

McDavid has lived in Zachary since 1969. He graduated from Zachary High School in 1983 and attended Southern University’s Baton Rouge campus. He is actively involved with the Zachary Community School System. He has mentored high school students for over 20 years and is a member of the Zachary High School Hall of Fame Committee. He is also a member of First Baptist Church of Zachary.

McDavid has coached numerous youth baseball, basketball and softball teams in the Zachary community over the past 25 years. He routinely volunteers for both the Senior Olympics and the Special Olympics.

He has three children: David “Ricky” McDavid, Jr., 28; Brad McDavid, 25; and Ashley McDavid, 20; and one grandchild, Trae McDavid, 4. He is married to Sherry Jarreau McDavid who is also a graduate of Zachary High School.

"My primary goal as Chief of Police is to make Zachary the safest community to raise a family and to operate a business," McDavid said. "We will also address the current traffic issues while preparing for the future growth of our community; continue the fight to keep drugs out of Zachary; implement community policing and employ the highest professional standards in law enforcement within the Zachary Police Department; and work diligently to equip and assist our officers with the tools necessary to perform their duties.

"We want the Zachary Police Department to be as good as the people who live in the City of Zachary. I ask for your support on October 22, 2011," said McDavid.

To learn more about David McDavid, visit his website at www.mcdavid2011.com.