• Former Alexandria officers Austin Butler, 38, and Dylan Tritle, 32, arrested for malfeasance after three violent incidents
• Police bodycam footage captured officers beating Black men, becoming combative at hotel during 24-hour period in July
• Chief Chad Gremillion called pair “bad apples,” fired them immediately after internal system flagged incidents for review

ALEXANDRIA, La. (TDR) — Two Alexandria, Louisiana, police officers deemed “bad apples” by the police chief were arrested by state police for malfeasance in office after allegedly using excessive force and violating other constitutional rights of citizens in three separate incidents in July caught on police bodycam video.

The former officers, Austin Butler, 38, and Dylan Tritle, 32, were put on administrative leave by Alexandria Police Chief Chad Gremillion immediately after the department’s internal reporting system flagged the incidents for review on July 29.

At a press briefing on Aug. 20, Gremillion and Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy expressed their disgust as they showed the police video and further described what happened in each violent encounter between the two cops and three people they physically abused in a 24-hour period beginning on July 27.

Swift action, lengthy investigation

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“We had two bad apples. That doesn’t make for a bad tree,” Gremillion said. “We clipped the sour fruit off that tree immediately, and we are here to be transparent about it.”

The initial suspension and subsequent firing occurred after an internal affairs investigation by the Alexandria Police Department into “this run of rather roguish behavior” was “an intervention aimed at preventing worse incidents in the future,” Roy said, who personally reviewed the police video.

Gremillion referred the criminal cases to Louisiana State Police, who conducted an independent investigation over two months before arresting both men for malfeasance in office on Oct. 2. Butler was also charged with one misdemeanor count of simple battery.

Both men were booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center and released within an hour.

Three incidents in 24 hours

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According to officials, the officers were involved in three distinct incidents between July 26 and 27.

Video from the first incident, which occurred at a Siegel Select Hotel, showed officers responding to a noise complaint. Officers, after confronting the individual and instructing them to leave the premises, became vocally combative and physically blocked access to certain areas while the individual collected personal belongings to leave the premises.

In one incident, Butler and Tritle responded to a disturbance call at a local extended-stay motel, where a Black man was accused of playing music too loudly.

Louisiana State Police detectives determined that both Butler and Tritle “committed acts that were beyond the scope of their official duties” during the encounters.

Pattern of misconduct

KALB Investigates found that Butler was previously arrested in 2018 for charges of first-degree driving while intoxicated and improper lane use. Butler, who was under the employment of the Alexandria Police Department at the time, was reportedly off-duty and driving a privately-owned vehicle.

KALB also located Butler’s public social media account, which has not seen activity since 2024. A post made by Butler, which was eventually posted as a profile cover photo, reads: “The fastest way to change the behaviour of a lethal threat, is to shoot them…”

Erosion of trust

“Inappropriate policing adds the most challenges to properly acting law enforcement. It becomes a danger to us all,” Roy said, noting that it leads to “an erosion of trust” between the community and “the badge.”

The mayor warned this erosion can result in increased crime as people start to rely on “street justice” instead of calling on police.

“This is a bad day for those that wear the badge,” said Gremillion, who has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience. “Nowhere in my 30-plus years of law enforcement is this acceptable behavior. I was not trained this way.”

The investigation will be submitted to the Rapides Parish District Attorney’s Office for review and prosecution.

Louisiana State Police encouraged anyone with additional information about the case to contact LSP-CID-AFO at 318-487-5245, submit information anonymously through the Louisiana State Police online reporting system at lsp.org, or call the LSP Fusion Center Hotline at 800-434-8007.

The arrests highlight ongoing concerns about police use of force and accountability, particularly in incidents involving Black citizens. The swift response by Alexandria Police Department leadership, including immediate suspension and transparency through public disclosure of bodycam footage, represents an attempt to address misconduct before it escalates.

However, the fact that both officers were released within an hour of booking and that Butler had a previous DWI arrest while employed by the department raises questions about accountability measures and whether past misconduct should have been a red flag.

The case now moves to the Rapides Parish District Attorney’s Office, where prosecutors will determine what additional charges, if any, should be filed against the former officers.

Should police departments be required to release bodycam footage immediately when excessive force allegations arise?

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