VIDALIA &8212; Despite statements by Ferriday officials to the contrary, Greatory Dotson said he has no intention of dropping the charges against the off-duty officer who allegedly stabbed him April 15.

Ferriday Mayor Gene Allen and Chief of Police Richard Madison have both gone on the record as saying Dotson had tried to or would soon drop the felony charge of aggravated battery against Ferriday Police officer John Hawkins.

Friday, Allen said Dotson had tried to have the charges dropped but had been denied the opportunity.

Dotson disputed the claims.

&8220;I feel they&8217;re lying to the public,&8221; he said. &8220;I feel like they are scandalizing my name.&8221;

Dotson said he has hired an attorney to represent him and planned to file suit in the matter.

Both Allen and Madison denied Dotson&8217;s allegation.

&8220;I know what he told me,&8221; Allen said.

The incident occurred outside a washateria near the intersection of Martin Luther King Street and John Dale Drive in Vidalia.

According to Dotson, Hawkins drove up to where he and a friend were standing. He got out of his vehicle and they argued before Hawkins stabbed him in the left forearm with an icepick.

Dotson walked to the nearby Vidalia Police Department and filed a complaint. VPD, after investigating the complaint, issued an arrest warrant for Hawkins on April 19.

After turning himself in, Hawkins was released on bond. He has not been suspended from his FPD job.

Dotson said he has been receiving harassing phone calls since the day of the incident and has been offered money to drop the charges.

Once a charge is filed, only the prosecuting authority, in this case the Seventh Judicial District Attorney&8217;s office, can decide whether or not to proceed with criminal charges.

Dotson said he has spoken to an investigator with the Louisiana State Police about the threats and would follow up if they didn&8217;t stop.

&8220;If they keep harassing me and keep calling the house,&8221; he said. &8220;I will go and file harassment charges on them.&8221;