It’s rare any one topic ever gets more press, online chatter and noise than LSU and Saints football collectively.

However, the continuing drama over who will be Shreveport’s next police chief has surpassed that on the local scene.

In this brouhaha, few commentators have looked at the playbooks-- this instance it’s the Shreveport charter and the state civil service laws.

These laws provide that a chief of police vacancy is to be filled by the Shreveport mayor and the council.

The mayor is to nominate a candidate from those applicants who score satisfactorily on the police chief civil service board. This is the ONLY limitation on the mayor’s nomination powers.

These names were released over a month ago.

The council is to approve a nominee of the mayor by a majority vote. Put another way, any police chief nomination must be approved by a majority of 4 on the council.

The mayor is NOT authorized to delegate this selection/nominee to any board, committee or agency.

And likewise, he is NOT bound by any recommendation of any board, committee, or agency as to whom he should nominate to be the police chief.

The council can NOT nominate a candidate, and can only vote on the mayor's selection.

If the mayor’s first choice is not ratified, then the mayor must make a second nomination---and so forth. Succeeding nominations are made at subsequent council meetings.

The mayor is to make his nomination today - Monday - at 2 p.m.

The Shreveport city council has its work session today—Monday—at 3 pm.

At this meeting, a resolution can be passed to place the mayor’s nomination on the agenda for tomorrow’s (Tuesday) regular council meeting.  A unanimous vote is required on this resolution.

State law mandates that the permanent chief be appointed by Sun. Sept. 29.

If the mayor's nomination is not placed on the council agenda for Tuesday (or if his nomination is not approved), then the council will be back at work this week.

The mayor will then call a special meeting of the council, which must be preceded by 24 hours notice. In this instance, the only agenda item will be the police chief nomination.

The only "good news" is that this long, unfortunate saga will end soon.

Hopefully, that is Tuesday.