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A St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office major was fired and arrested after an investigation into a community complaint revealed the major had used his diving experience and department equipment to make money performing dives to recover submerged vehicles, the sheriff’s office said.

Elliot Patrick Bertrand, 37, of Eunice, was arrested Wednesday and booked into the St. Landry Parish Jail on a count each of felony malfeasance, felony theft and felony injuring of public records. His bond was set at $8,000, Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said in a statement.

Guidroz said an investigation into Bertrand, who was responsible for the agency’s fleet operations and search and rescue team, began Sept. 21 when a local businessman filed a complaint that Bertrand used his position for personal gain on Nov. 7, 2020.

Bertrand was put on paid administrative leave over the course of the investigation.

Investigators determined Bertrand used department diving equipment to perform recovery missions on submerged vehicles for wrecker drivers on the side. The sheriff said Bertrand admitted to the claims in an Oct. 3 interview with investigators and acknowledged that he was the only person paid in reference to the November 2020 complaint.

“Major Bertrand admitted to taking direct payments for dives from wrecker drivers for off-duty dives involving submerged vehicles,” the sheriff’s office said.

Guidroz said Bertrand’s recovery dives should have been approved by a supervisor and the sheriff notified, and payment for services and any equipment used should have been routed through the sheriff’s office’s accounts receivable department.

“Major Bertrand’s failure to submit said documents, payment for use of department equipment, and receiving personal compensation rises to the level of intentionally concealing documents from a public entity, which would be subject to public records,” the sheriff’s statement said.

If convicted on the malfeasance charge, Bertrand would have his P.O.S.T. certification revoked. A P.O.S.T. certification, which stands for peace officer standards and training, is a requirement for law enforcement officers in Louisiana.

“It is a sad day when I have to arrest one of my own for the mishandling of public funds. I have always been and will always be transparent especially when it comes to the public’s equipment and public funds,” Guidroz said in the statement.

In his statement, Guidroz said in his 16 years as sheriff he’s investigated and arrested 20 department employees on charges ranging from malfeasance to domestic violence.

Bertrand is the third St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office employee or former employee arrested this year.

On Aug. 16, corrections deputy Eddie Taylor, 33, of Opelousas was arrested on a count of malfeasance in office for prohibited sexual conduct with persons in the custody and supervision of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

The sheriff’s office said Taylor “provided female offenders with unapproved food items with an understanding that various sexual acts and displays of lewd behavior would be exchanged in a ‘quid pro quo’ arrangement.”

On March 28, Nicholas Richard Veale, 34, of Opelousas, was arrested on counts of malfeasance and battery. Veale resigned from the sheriff’s office on Dec. 13, the day after an investigation was launched after the sheriff’s office said he punched an inmate twice in the stomach while the inmate was seated and restrained.

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