Former Monroe police chief appointed interim campus police chief

Dr. Quentin Holmes has been named interim police chief.  Courtesy photo

Dr. Quentin Holmes has been appointed as interim Chief of Police for the Grambling State University Police Department. 

Holmes previously served six years as Chief of Police for the Monroe Police Department where he spent 20 years of his career in all.   

As interim police chief, Holmes plans to strengthen the relationship between campus police and the community.

“It is a shared responsibility to keep the campus safe,” Holmes said. 

Holmes hopes to do more training and more staffing within the department.

“As a chief, you hope to move it in a positive direction,” Holmes said.  

Holmes will serve a dual role. He has also been named permanent Special Advisor to the Chief Operating Officer of Public Safety. 

The position of Chief of Police for Grambling State University was left vacant following Howard Caviness’s resignation last spring. 

“Dr. Holmes’ continuous leadership has helped consistently grow safety and the student experience on campus,” Grambling State University President Rick Gallot said in a press release. 

“We look forward to his contributions during his interim period and on an ongoing basis as a special advisor,” Gallot said. 

Holmes, a native of Doylene, La., a small-town south of Minden, La., said that he decided to pursue a career in law enforcement at the encouragement of a schoolteacher. 

“When I was in the sixth grade, my class teacher asked students what they wanted to be when they grew up,” Holmes said. “I said a police officer.” 

Holmes also said that teacher had him draw a picture of his chosen career and place it on the door of his locker. 

Holmes, a six-year veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve, has worked in law enforcement for 28 years. 

Holmes first joined Monroe PD in 1985 as a patrolman and went on to serve in other capacities as a community police officer, school resource officer, honor guard member, violent crimes investigator, member of the Special Resources Team, as well as administrative assistant to the Police Chief.

He also served as patrolman for the Minden Police Department, as well as the Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant in Minden, La.

Holmes was appointed to the Chief of Police of Monroe Police Department in 2011, becoming the first African-American police chief in Monroe which Holmes credits as being his greatest achievement while working in law enforcement. 

As police chief of Monroe PD, Holmes, along with Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo, donated two Ford Crown Victoria patrol cars to the Grambling Police Department in 2016.

After retiring from Monroe PD in 2016, Holmes became a visiting professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at Grambling State University. 

He previously served as an adjunct instructor at Louisiana Delta Community College and the University of Louisiana at Monroe, where he holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminal justice. 

Holmes also holds a Ph.D. in public administration from Jackson State University. 

Holmes said that he always has been willing to help in a consulting position, even after retiring. 

Though not a full-time candidate for the Chief of Police position, Holmes said that he wants to help wherever he can. Holmes’ took over his respective positions on August 9.