Retired LPSO Chief Deputy Art Lebreton Enters 2026 Youngsville Police Race

YOUNGSVILLE, La. (KPEL News) — Art LeBreton formally announced his candidacy Monday for Chief of Police of the City of Youngsville, setting up what could be a rematch-adjacent showdown with incumbent Chief JP Broussard in November.

LeBreton, a retired executive with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, tried to run for the same seat in 2024 but was ruled ineligible before qualifying opened. According to an Attorney General opinion, he had not satisfied Louisiana’s requirement that a chief of police candidate be domiciled in the municipality for at least the full year before qualifying. LeBreton had moved to Youngsville in August 2023, just weeks before the qualifying window opened the following summer.

That clock has now run its full course. With the 2026 regular election qualifying set for July 29-31, LeBreton will have been a Youngsville resident for nearly three years by the time he files.

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LeBreton’s Law Enforcement Background

LeBreton spent his entire law enforcement career at the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, joining the reserve unit in May 1983 and retiring in November 2018. According to his campaign website, he was selected as patrol commander under Sheriff Michael Neustrom in July 2000, where he oversaw more than 120 employees and the agency earned national accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies.

He was later promoted to Enforcement Commander at the rank of Major and served as Chief Deputy, overseeing uniform patrol, criminal investigations, forensics, metro narcotics, community services, and critical incident management. He held that role until his retirement.

“Youngsville deserves a police department that is proactive, professional, and prepared,” LeBreton said in a campaign statement. “As our city grows, so do the responsibilities of those sworn to protect it. I am running for Chief of Police to ensure our officers are fully supported, our neighborhoods remain safe, and our department operates with integrity and accountability at every level.”

The Race He Couldn’t Finish in 2024

LeBreton was the first candidate to publicly announce a run for Youngsville police chief when the 2024 special election was triggered by former chief Rickey Boudreaux’s resignation. But the AG’s office determined he fell short of the domicile requirement under Louisiana Revised Statute 33:385.1, and he was removed from consideration before qualifying opened.

The race went forward without him. According to The Advocate, JP Broussard, a former Lafayette City Marshal’s deputy with 27 years of law enforcement and emergency services experience, defeated interim chief Cody Louviere in a December 2024 runoff by just 15 votes out of 2,253 cast. Broussard was sworn in as chief later that month.

What to Watch

Broussard is now running a department he campaigned to overhaul. His first stated priority was increasing patrol staffing, and he has been on the job for roughly 15 months heading into the announcement of LeBreton’s challenge.

LeBreton’s campaign has already begun engaging residents, business owners, and community leaders ahead of the November election. Qualifying runs July 29-31, 2026, through the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court.