Judith Estorge named Lafayette Police Chief after empty for year

After a year without a permanent police chief, Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory appointed Lafayette Police Capt. Judith Estorge to lead the department Friday afternoon.

She will start on Nov. 1.

“I am proud to serve our community and the officers of the Lafayette Police Department, and I thank Mayor-President Josh Guillory and the selection committees for entrusting me with the responsibility of protecting and serving the citizens of Lafayette,” Estorge said in a release.

Estorge is a Lafayette native who attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where she studied Criminal Justice. She joined the Lafayette Police Department in 1993, working her way up the ranks, serving as a patrol officer, a traffic motor officer, a detective in the Criminal Investigative Division, a Precinct 3 sergeant, and watch commander of Precinct 4. She is currently the commander of Precinct 4.

“I’d like to thank everyone involved in the interview process. I am confident that Captain Estorge will bring all of the qualities necessary to lead the LPD as their next Chief. Her nearly 30 years of experience and the respect she has earned from those on the force make her ideal to lead the department moving forward,” Guillory said in a release.

Estorge said her goal is to make a difference in Lafayette.

“One of my goals is to build community relationships and do my very best to work together to solve our common concerns,” Estorge said in a release. “When police and the community work together, we build trust. We rely on our citizens to provide information about crime in their neighborhoods, and we want them to trust us. Together, we can make a difference.”