FERRIDAY &8212; Investigator Richard Madison resigned from the Ferriday Police Department Wednesday, clearing up at least part of an alleged nepotism complaint filed with the Louisiana Board of Ethics.

Madison, a captain and investigator with the department since Mayor Gene Allen took office, is the half-brother of Ferriday Police Chief Robert Davis.

The Louisiana Code of Governmental Ethics statute 1119 (a) states &8220;no member of the immediate family of an agency head shall be employed in his agency.&8221;

Allen said he had been unaware of any investigation by the Louisiana Board of Ethics.

Madison said he had agreed to take a government job in California. He would not be more specific but say his leaving would resolve any nepotism claim.

Allen said he had planned to offer Madison a spot in town hall as a grant writer to replace Administrative Assistant Justin Conner, who has transferred to the sewer department.

The transfer would have also satisfied the state&8217;s nepotism prohibition, but Madison said he declined.

&8220;I chose to take another approach and that&8217;s to leave,&8221; he said.

Allen said he was sorry to see Madison go and that the door would be open for him.

&8220;Certainly it&8217;s a disappointment to lose a such a capable person,&8221; he said. &8220;The police department and the community are going to miss him. When he returns to Ferriday, he&8217;ll be welcome to come back to work here with us.&8221;

Madison said he will maintain his local residence and that he would be stopping through periodically. He also said he has not ruled out a return to public service.

&8220;I have some political aspirations that I am going to pursue at a later date,&8221; he said.

Ferriday resident Wanda Baker Smith said she filed a nepotism complaint against the department with the ethics board.

&8220;I made a complaint and they said they&8217;d review it,&8221; she said.

The board would not confirm or deny there was an ongoing investigation.

Davis had no comment on Madison&8217;s departure.

Officer Bobby Madison, who is the nephew of Davis and Madison, works in the department.