Ex-Berwick chief faces battery charge

A St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office employee and former Berwick police chief has been arrested on a battery charge after an incident at a Bayou Vista business, the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office said.
David Leonard Sr., 61, Berwick, was arrested at 2:10 p.m. Sept. 23 on a charge of simple battery.
On Sept. 22, a female subject came to the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office to make a complaint against an SMPSO employee, for an off-duty incident involving Leonard, the Sheriff’s Office said.
An investigator with the SMPSO Office of Professional Standards took the complaint and opened an investigation. The incident occurred at 2:40 p.m. Sept. 21. The woman alleged that Leonard initiated a hostile but minor physical contact with her at a local business in Bayou Vista. Through the investigation, evidence was obtained including video evidence, which substantiated the complaint.
On Sept. 23, Leonard was placed under arrest and subsequently released on a summons to appear in court. His employment was terminated at the time of arrest.
“These moments are not pleasant for us,” said a statement from Sheriff Gary Driskell. “However, the law applies to us as law enforcement officers as well.
“We are not above the law that we enforce in our jurisdiction with citizens. As I have stated before, we hold our employees to high standards of conduct and professionalism, which is what our citizens expect and should expect from us.”
Leonard was appointed chief of police in Berwick in January 2019. He succeeded James Richard, currently a Town Council member.
Leonard retired from the Berwick post Nov. 22, 2025, after serving with the town’s department for 38 years.