Police Chief Richard Madison is being called before the Louisiana Board of Ethics Thursday.

On Feb. 13, Board of Ethics Attorney Alesia M. Ardoin requested the subpoena for Madison to appear before the board for alleged nepotism charges.

“Charges were filed, and this matter was set for public hearing to explore these charges,” Ardoin said Tuesday. “Generally, that is the procedure.”

In July 2004, Mayor Gene Allen hired both Madison as an investigator for the town and his half-brother, Robert “Rock” Davis, as police chief.

According to ethics board docket #2005-140, Madison and Davis violated section 1119 “A” of the ethics code which states that no member of the immediate family of an agency head shall be employed in his agency.

The law also states that willful violation of the act is subject to disciplinary action and penalties provided by the board.

Davis and Madison were fined $500 each by the board.

But Madison said Tuesday he does not feel he did anything wrong because he worked for the town before Allen was elected.

“I had already worked for the town of Ferriday under Mrs. (Odell) Montgomery’s administration and Glen (McGlothin) and I was never terminated,” Madison said. “Therefore, it becomes a moot point.”

Madison also pointed out that the town abides by the Larson Act, which states that the mayor has the power to hire and fire city officials.

Allen said Thursday he didn’t think the board was doing their research and did not understand the Larson Act.

“I don’t think (the case) has any teeth in it because (Madison) was not hired by Rock Davis, he was hired by Gene Allen,” he said.

Allen said Davis did not even recommend Madison for the position but that he hired both men at the same time.

Allen said he has hired several people who are related that work for the town in the same department.

Madison said he doesn’t know who filed the complaint before the board of ethics, but that the reason it is being addressed now is because of his political aspirations.

Madison said he is interested in running for Concordia Parish Sheriff or running for state representative for District 21 in 2008.

“It’s politics,” Madison said. “Whoever filed this is just trying to drag my name in the mud and doesn’t have the facts to substantiate the allegations,” he said.