UPDATE: Ferriday officer who claims stolen identity will still have to prove his innocence in court

FERRIDAY, La. — A Ferriday police officer is returning to work after being arrested on felony warrants from another state on Thursday.

Mayor Alvin Garrison said that police officer Oliver Robinson III told him he was arrested for mistaken identity. However, Van Buren County, Arkansas, which issued the warrants, will require him to appear in court, testify, and try to prove innocence.

Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Robinson with two outstanding warrants from Arkansas for theft greater than $5,000 and forgery.

“Concordia picked him up. They had to do their job,” Garrison said on Friday. Garrison said Robinson told him he had lost or his ID was stolen. For that reason, Garrison said Robinson would not be suspended.

Robinson posted a video on his personal Facebook page as he was released from Van Buren County custody Friday and preparing to return home to Ferriday.

“No, I’m not in jail,” he said. “People want to talk so let people talk, man. I’ve got my court date. I do have to testify. I don’t know him and never even met him. But that goes to show you how quick people lie.”

Robison alleged that he lost his ID while he was living in Little Rock, Arkansas, and someone found his ID, whitewashed a name on a check and put his name in its place to cash it. When he left Arkansas, the arresting agency couldn’t find him and issued a warrant, he said.

“I called and talked to a lawyer about this and (Robinson) is in Arkansas now, clearing this up. When it’s cleared up, he’ll come back to work,” Garrison said.

Ferriday Police Chief CJ Hall, who was sworn into that position on July 1, confirmed that Robinson was not a certified officer, though he is known to have worked at various agencies locally over several years, including Clayton, Waterproof, Tallulah, and Ferriday.

Robinson started working at Ferriday Police Department again on Monday, Hall said.

“It’s my understanding that he worked here before, but I don’t have information about his tenure,” Hall said. “Once he has everything that is going on now squared away, there are plans to send him to a police training academy.”

According to Louisiana Revised Statute 40:2405, “Any person who begins employment as a peace officer in Louisiana … must successfully complete a certified training program approved by the council and successfully pass a council-approved comprehensive examination within one calendar year from the date of initial employment. The one-year period in which a peace officer is required to complete a certified training program approved by the council and successfully pass a council-approved comprehensive examination is not interrupted if the peace officer leaves the employing agency to be employed as a peace officer in another agency in Louisiana. Any person who fails to comply with this requirement shall be prohibited from exercising the authority of a peace officer.”

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