CULLEN, La. – The Cullen police officer arrested Tuesday for shooting a dog and pointing a gun at its owner was not on the town’s payroll, is not certified and was not authorized by town leaders to carry a gun, wear a uniform or drive a patrol car.
Still, Cullen Police Chief Fannie Rankin allowed Reginald Ferguson to work in an auxiliary capacity despite being told not to do so, Mayor Terry “Bippy” Hoof told KTBS on Tuesday.
“Three times. He came before the board three times and each time the board turned him down,” Hoof said.
Webster Parish sheriff’s detectives arrested Ferguson outside his home on a warrant for illegal use of weapons, a felony offense. Additional charges are possible, Sheriff Jason Parker said.
The charge stems from an incident at Dashanna Wortham’s home on Sunday in Cullen. Wortham took cell phone video of Ferguson in her yard as he shot her dog, Tank, and pointed the gun at her.
Tank survived but faces losing a leg. Wortham was shaken but unharmed. She filed a complaint with the sheriff’s office.
Parker said it’s uncertain why Ferguson went to Wortham’s home. He was not dispatched there.
Ferguson has been patrolling and writing tickets in Cullen at least since January, despite the Board of Aldermen’s refusal to hire him – the latest denial coming last week.
“We had a meeting this past Thursday and explained to the chief we can’t have him in vehicles,” Hoof said, explaining the town’s insurance does not cover reserve or volunteer officers since those positions do not exist in Cullen.
“That was the third time” Rankin was told not to allow Ferguson to use town property, Hoof said.
“But she said she was going to put him in the car anyway. … We gave her a letter from the insurance company telling her we cannot put any auxiliary or volunteer officers in those cars because they would not be covered,” Hoof said.
Attorney Fran Gipson called KTBS on behalf of Rankin, saying the chief will not be giving a statement about specifics of the case. Gipson asked for time for Rankin to do an investigation.
As an elected police chief, Louisiana law authorizes Rankin to make recommendations for employment to the mayor and aldermen. However, the law does not mandate the mayor or aldermen follow that recommendation. And a separate Louisiana Attorney General’s opinion states when the Board of Aldermen vote against hiring an officer, that officer is not permitted to continue employment.
Hoof said Ferguson has worked without pay during the time Rankin allowed him to patrol without his or board approval.
“We didn’t give him a check from day one, since January. I know I didn’t sign a check,” Hoof said.
The mayor said he looked into Ferguson’s previous employment, which included a stint at the Cotton Valley Police Department, and decided against hiring him “because of some things he had done” and “other complaints.”
“He’s not commissioned. He has no certifications,” Hoof said. “We had told him we didn’t want him in any vehicles because of his history. He used to work in Cotton Valley. I got information from them and went over it with the council.”
According to a WPSO arrest report in May 2024, Ferguson was charged with aggravated felony cruelty to animals and simple cruelty to animals in response to dead and unhealthy horses and donkeys found on his property.
Ferguson was booked into the Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center and held on a $25,000 bond.