Veteran police officer advances to December runoff against incumbent Chief Graig LeBlanc, highlighting her law enforcement experience, community involvement, and proposed Opelousas Child First Initiative.

CAST NEWS Christian News Networks | November 4, 2026

OPELOUSAS, LOUISIANA — Voters in Opelousas delivered a closely contested result in Tuesday’s November 3 election for Chief of Police, sending incumbent Chief Graig “Twin” LeBlanc and veteran police officer Yolanda Lewis into a runoff election.

With all 22 precincts reporting, LeBlanc received 2,218 votes, representing 47.1% of ballots cast. Lewis finished just 80 votes behind, receiving 2,138 votes, or 45.4%. The third candidate, Ebony Martin, received 353 votes, representing 7.5%.

Because no candidate received a majority of the vote, the race will continue to a December 12 runoff, pending official certification.

For Lewis, the election marks a significant chapter in a law enforcement career that her campaign describes as spanning two decades with the Opelousas Police Department.

TWENTY YEARS OF LEADERSHIP IN SERVICE

Lewis has centered her campaign on a philosophy she calls “Leadership in Service,” emphasizing the relationship between law enforcement, community responsibility, public trust, and the protection of children.

According to biographical information provided by her campaign, Lewis began serving with the Opelousas Police Department in 2006. Her professional background includes assignments as a juvenile detective, school resource officer, and motorcycle officer.

Her campaign reports that in 2016 she became the department’s first female motorcycle officer, an important milestone in her law enforcement career.

Lewis’s campaign also identifies several professional accomplishments and community distinctions, including:

• Service as a juvenile detective from 2012 through 2026.
• School resource officer experience beginning in 2016.
• Certification as a D.A.R.E. instructor in 2025 and TASER 10 instructor in 2026.
• Recognition as a local Law Enforcement Officer of the Year in 2016.
• A 2023 Woman of the Year recognition associated with Zeta Phi Beta Sorority.
• Completion of female tactical training through the Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Department in 2026.
• Recognition through a 2026 Autism Hero Award.

These accomplishments are reported from Lewis’s campaign biography and have not all been independently verified.

Beyond her professional assignments, Lewis has described community service as a central part of her identity. Known to some residents as “Officer Friendly” and “Officer with the Gold Fronts,” she has participated in youth sports, school activities, community events, and programs involving children with special needs.

Her annual appearances as “Mrs. Grinch” at nursing homes, parades, schools, and community celebrations reflect the personal side of her approach to public service.

Lewis summarizes that philosophy through the words:

“Lives in the Community — Of the Community — Here to Heal the Community.”

THE OPELOUSAS CHILD FIRST INITIATIVE: A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO PUBLIC SAFETY

One of the most substantive proposals presented by Lewis’s campaign is The Opelousas Child First Initiative, a proposed police-led prevention, intervention, and enforcement program designed to address gun violence, opioid addiction, and the recruitment of young people into criminal activity.

The initiative is organized around a central message:

“Save Our Children. Stop the Violence. Break the Cycle.”

Rather than focusing exclusively on responding to crimes after they occur, the proposed program would emphasize identifying dangerous circumstances earlier, connecting vulnerable families with resources, and coordinating law enforcement interventions before additional lives are lost.

The initiative outlines three principal missions.

1. STOP THE GUN VIOLENCE

The first component proposes establishing a Gun Violence Prevention and Intervention Team within the Opelousas Police Department.

Under the proposal, officers would coordinate lawful investigations involving violent offenders and illegal firearms while working with community organizations to reduce retaliatory violence and prevent young people from becoming involved in gangs or gun-related crime.

The program would seek to combine targeted enforcement with prevention and community cooperation.

2. BREAK THE OPIOID ADDICTION CYCLE

The second component addresses opioid addiction and overdose prevention.

Lewis proposes training and equipping officers to respond to suspected overdoses, expanding access to naloxone, and developing voluntary referral pathways connecting individuals and families with licensed addiction treatment providers.

The initiative would also prioritize investigations involving dangerous drug trafficking while recognizing the importance of treatment and recovery services for people experiencing addiction.

3. SAVE OUR CHILDREN FIRST

The third component would establish a Youth Protection and Early Intervention Unit to coordinate with schools, parents, juvenile justice professionals, and community organizations.

The proposed unit would focus on children exposed to violence, drugs, bullying, or gang recruitment.

Trained officers would serve as designated points of contact for families seeking assistance, while community partnerships would help connect young people with mentoring, counseling, and prevention resources.

The program’s stated philosophy is straightforward:

“Every child we protect from violence, every young life we steer away from drugs, and every family we help keep safe is a step toward a stronger Opelousas.”

Implementation would require consideration of departmental staffing, available funding, community partnerships, measurable outcomes, and safeguards protecting residents’ rights.

A POTENTIAL HISTORIC FIRST FOR OPELOUSAS

Lewis’s candidacy also carries historical significance.

According to her campaign, if elected, she would become the first woman to serve as Chief of Police in the history of Opelousas.

The potential milestone follows her reported achievement as the department’s first female motorcycle officer.

While historical representation is one aspect of the election, the responsibilities of the office remain substantial. The next police chief will oversee law enforcement operations, personnel, professional standards, public safety strategies, and the department’s relationship with the citizens it serves.

Both runoff candidates will have an opportunity to explain their approaches to those responsibilities.

MY HEART. MY PASSION. MY PURPOSE.

Lewis has placed the welfare of children at the center of her campaign message.

In a statement provided through her campaign materials, she declares:

“Our children will always be at the heart of my commitment to public service. I believe every child deserves to grow up in a community where they feel safe, protected, respected, and hopeful about their future.”

She connects that commitment with transparency in policing, accountability in leadership, equal justice under the law, and respect for the rule of law.

Her campaign further emphasizes that public trust must be earned through honesty, integrity, fairness, and respect for every citizen.

The message concludes with a reminder that the example adults establish today helps shape the community children will inherit tomorrow.

THE DECEMBER RUNOFF: A DECISION ABOUT OPELOUSAS’ FUTURE

The November 3 results reveal a closely divided electorate, with fewer than two percentage points separating the two leading candidates.

Incumbent Chief Graig LeBlanc enters the runoff after receiving the largest share of votes in the first round. Lewis enters with a substantial share of support and a campaign centered on her professional experience and proposed child-focused public safety program.

The runoff gives residents an opportunity to examine both candidates’ records, leadership approaches, departmental priorities, and plans for addressing the city’s public safety challenges.

For Lewis, the central campaign themes remain Leadership in Service and The Opelousas Child First Initiative.

Her proposal places particular emphasis on preventing gun violence, responding to the opioid crisis, and protecting children before they become victims of crime or are drawn into criminal activity.

Whether those proposals can be translated into effective departmental operations will be an important question for voters as the runoff approaches.

The next Chief of Police will face the continuing responsibility of protecting residents, maintaining professional law enforcement standards, strengthening public confidence, and building productive relationships throughout Opelousas.

As the campaign moves toward December 12, residents will have another opportunity to consider the experience, proposals, and leadership philosophy of both candidates.

A PRAYER FOR OPELOUSAS, OUR CHILDREN, AND OUR COMMUNITY

Heavenly Father,

We come before You with grateful hearts, lifting up the City of Opelousas, Louisiana, its families, children, neighborhoods, and community leaders.

Lord, we ask that You place Your loving and protective hands over our city. Where there is violence, bring peace. Where there is division, bring unity. Where there is fear, bring courage. Where there is hopelessness, restore faith, love, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Father, we especially pray for the children of Opelousas. Protect them from violence, drugs, abuse, neglect, and the influences that threaten their futures. Surround them with loving families, caring teachers, positive role models, and community leaders who recognize that every child is precious in Your sight.

Help us build a community where children can walk safely through their neighborhoods, attend school without fear, play without danger, and dream of a future filled with opportunity.

We pray for our law enforcement officers, first responders, educators, parents, and civic leaders. Grant them wisdom, compassion, patience, integrity, and the courage to do what is right.

Remind us, Lord, that the strength of Opelousas is not measured simply by its buildings, businesses, or institutions, but by the love we show one another and the care we provide for those who need us most.

May we remember the words of Your Holy Scripture:

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” — Matthew 5:9 (KJV)

Father, let Opelousas become a community known for peace, justice, compassion, opportunity, and love for our neighbors.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Election coverage and candidate information. Vote totals reflect reported November 3 results. Biographical accomplishments and policy proposals attributed to the Lewis campaign are based on campaign-supplied materials.