Bobby Dale Callender Plans Run for Central Police Chief This Fall

 Bobby Dale Callender has told the Central City News he plans to run for Police Chief of the City of Central in the Nov. 8 municipal elections.

Callender, a native and lifelong resident of Central, spent 45 years in law enforcement. He served under five sheriffs and rose from deputy to colonel. He also served for four years as commander of the Central substation. Callender said, “I’m a street cop, and I want to work in our neighborhoods to fight crime in Central.” Callender said he is all about community policing.

A 1966 graduate of Central High, Bobby Dale Callender started in the Sheriff’s office in 1970 and served until 1975. He returned to the Sheriff’s office from 1980 to 1985 and again from 2008 to 2016.

During that time, he served under Sheriffs Bryan Clemons, J. Al Amiss, Fred Sliman, Jr., Elmer Litchfield, and Sid Gautreaux III.

He worked in the downtown jail, uniform patrol, general detectives, felony action, armed robbery and burglary, and narcotics.

Callender was named Louisiana’s Outstanding Young Law Enforcement Officer of the Year and Deputy of the Year for the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s office.

He served in the Parish Attorney’s office from 1980 to 2007 under parish attorneys Lynn Williams, Mike Ponder, and Wade Shows. During those years, he served as an investigator, director of investigations, gaming enforcement director, and alcohol beverage director.  In those capacities, he regulated the $5 million charitable bingo business in the parish and more than 800 businesses with alcoholic beverage licenses.

Callender said he is a law enforcement officer, not a politician and running for office is something new for him but he will learn.

Asked why he decided to run for Police Chief, he said it has nothing to do with anyone else. Rather, he is tired of retirement and sitting home. “I feel like I still have something to contribute, and I want to continue to serve the community I grew up in and love.”

The election is Nov. 8.

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