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LaFayette Police Department (LPD) Sgt. Derrick Coley turned himself into the Chambers County Jail on Nov. 15, after warrants for harassment and harassing communication were filed against him. The two warrants were filed by private citizen, Jeremy Loftin, at the county clerk’s office. 

Coley also filed a warrant on Loftin on the charge of harassment, and Lofton was arrested. The two men have had several verbal altercations, which led to police being called on Sept. 20 and Dec. 8. According to the incident report from the sheriff’s office, Coley is in a relationship with Loftin’s ex-wife. 

One of the altercations happened while Coley was allegedly standing outside of LPD. According to the incident report, Coley told Loftin to keep moving and to stop harassing him. Loftin reportedly said Coley should stop hiding behind his badge. Coley then allegedly began to take off his badge before Loftin left. Coley requested a sheriff’s deputy take his statement “due to the possibilities of interagency bias.” 

The second incident led to the harassing communication warrant on Coley. The event took place in Five Points, where Loftin told a deputy sheriff that Coley allegedly made threats over a Facetime call.

Both Coley and Loftin turned themselves in after being served the warrants and were booked and bailed out, according to Chambers County Sheriff Jeff Nelson. Coley’s court date is set for Jan. 11.

According to the arrest report, Loftin was booked on Nov. 9, almost a week before Coley. 

LaFayette Police Chief George Rampey would not release information on Coley’s arrest or his status with the department. 

Harassment and harassing communication are under the same statute, according to Captain Derick Wright of the Chambers County Sheriff’s Department. The harassing communication warrant stated the harassment occurred through a Facetime call.

Wright explained the difference between the two saying, “Harassing communications is when you send a text message, a threatening text message or something over a phone call…It’s just through communication of some sort. Not in person.”