St. Tammany News

A Slidell police officer was arrested Thursday and charged with possession of anabolic steroids, crystal methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Alan Roy, 42, 1009 Orchard Hill Drive, Slidell turned himself in to police around 12:30 p.m. Thursday after both the Slidell Police Department and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office issued arrest warrants.

Former Slidell police officer Alan Roy, left, is escorted from the Slidell Police Department by Detective Sgt. Bobby Juge and Detective Keith Dowling of the St. Tammany Sheriff's Office. (Staff Photo by Erik Sanzenbach)

Earlier in the day, Slidell Police Chief Freddy Drennan and St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain held a press conference to announce they had an arrest warrant out for Roy.

The warrants were issued on Wednesday, and Roy's attorney, Eric Hessler, arranged for Roy to turn himself in Wednesday. But Roy never showed up.

Just before the press conference, Drennan got a call from Hessler. The attorney said Roy would turn himself in Thursday afternoon.

Hessler explained that arrangements got tangled up Wednesday.

"We just couldn't get everybody together," Hessler said.

Roy was arrested after a joint investigation by the SPD and the St. Tammany Sheriff's Office that lasted almost a month.

Drennan would not go into details on what started the investigation because it is an ongoing case, but he did say a "work-related incident involving drugs" started the investigation, which led to the arrest warrant.

Roy is a five-year veteran police officer and joined the Slidell Police Department on Nov. 25, 2002.

"This is not a good day for us. We dread doing it," Drennan said.

During the investigation, it was discovered that Roy also had an apartment at 61325 Holly St., which is outside incorporated Slidell. Slidell police contacted the St. Tammany Sheriff's Office, and both agencies issued search warrants for his home and his apartment on Aug. 20.

Slidell police found anabolic steroids at the Orchard Hill residence, and sheriff's deputies found steroids, crystal methamphetamine and syringes at the Holly Drive location.

In total, police and deputies found seven bottles, 10 ampoules and 170 pills of various anabolic steroids. Deputies also found 0.65 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 100 hypodermic syringes.

Roy resigned from the Slidell Police Department on Aug. 24 after the drugs were found, Drennan said.

Anabolic steroids are used to build up muscle tissue and enhance stamina. They are also illegal. Drennan said Roy is a body-builder, and he had observed Roy's body "bulking up" during the past couple of months.

"There was a definite marked change in him," Drennan said.

The chief said Roy was a good officer and had been a dedicated and conscientious policeman. However, over the past few months, Drennan said he had observed a "decline in his work." He said finding the methamphetamine along with the steroids was "extremely disturbing."

Both agencies are still investigating where Roy got the illegal drugs and if he was selling them. Strain said the amount discovered was not evidence of a large-scale operation, but they want to question Roy.

"We don't know if this was for personal use," Strain said.

Hessler said Thursday there are no charges of selling drugs.

"There is absolutely no allegation of selling drugs whatsoever," Hessler said.

Drennan does not see steroids as a big problem in Slidell, but he added that it is a nationwide problem affecting athletes and young people. However, he stressed that there is no evidence that the steroids have been spotted among the city's youth.

"There is no indication that students were involved in this," Drennan said.

Both Strain and Drennan stressed this was an internal investigation and they will continue to be aggressive in rooting out criminal behavior in their departments.

"We demand a much higher standard from our employees," Drennan said. "And we will arrest them anytime they break the law."

"Law enforcement people should know better," Strain added. "We are sending out a loud message that if you want to use illegal drugs and carry a badge, we will come after you."

"We police ourselves very carefully. The people might not see it, but we are very aggressive about it." Drennan stressed.

The sheriff and chief said their departments each have random drug testing for their officers. Drennan said Roy's name did not pop up after drug testing, but said the police department's testing does not include steroids.

Strain said the Sheriff's Office does test for steroids.

"We have caught some people, and they have been terminated," Strain said.

Drennan said he had to arrest and fire a police officer in March 2005 for drug use.

The chief said putting out an arrest warrant on one of his officers is a hard thing to do.

"I put my trust in these people after they are hired," Drennan said. "This upsets me greatly. I take it as a personal slap in my face."

Capt. Kevin Foltz, public information officer for the SPD, knows Roy and was his first supervisor when Roy joined the force. Foltz considered Roy a good police officer.

"I'm more disappointed than anything else," Foltz said. "It's very difficult for a police officer to watch this."

After Roy was booked in Slidell, he was transferred to the St. Tammany Parish Jail in Covington, where he was also to be booked by the sheriff's department.

Hessler said Roy is doing fine under the circumstances.

"He intends to cooperate with the police," Hessler said.

The attorney did not know Roy's bond but expected to get him out of jail quickly.

Foltz said the bond might be $50,000, or Roy might be released on his own recognizance.

"He's not considered a flight risk, and he didn't commit a violent crime," Foltz said.