Police officer lives double life as college football official

By TW Starr

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    SHREVEPORT, Louisiana (KTBS) — The officers of the Shreveport Police Department have many roles and duties they perform in and around our community. With a force of close to 450, there’s bound to be some hidden talents and hobbies that would surprise you.

That’s the case with one of the more recognizable figures on the force — Cpl. Chris Bordelon. He’s SPD’s public information officer.

But when he’s not talking to the media at a crime scene, doing interviews at SPD headquarters or serving as the point person for the police department’s community events, you may find him on a college football field.

Doing what, you might ask? Bordelon regularly spends his weekends in the fall officiating college football. You may have seen him on the field but didn’t realize it was the same guy.

KTBS followed him recently as he traveled out to California for the Stanford versus Cal rivalry game in the ACC. It was Bordelon’s first assignment to a Power 4 conference match-up.

“To go out west and to see the type of fans that they have and the type of support those programs have, it was really kind of awesome,” said Bordelon.

Every weekend during the college football season he’s in a different city officiating games as a regular Conference USA official. He was even assigned to the Conference USA championship game this season. But his work as an official has extended throughout the college football world.

“I had the opportunity to go to Hawaii. I was selected to do the Hawaii Bowl a couple years ago. I’ve been to Air Force, Boise State. I got to go to Indiana this year and Georgia, said Bordelon.

His success on the field wouldn’t be possible with out the full support of his boss, Police Chief Wayne Smith.

“I am so very proud of him, and having him work closely with me on my team as my public information officer has just been monumental. He is such a blessing to this department,” said Smith said of Bordelon.

Bordelon’s love of the game started at Bolton High School in Alexandria. From there, it was off to Tulane for four years. He was on that team that played every game on the road because of Hurricane Katrina.

“It was a challenging year, not just for the football team, but everybody involved,” said Bordelon.

Bordelon spends his weekends on the college football fields across America now. But he started his officiating career 10 years ago on local high school football fields.

He has a passion to be an inspiration and help the next generation of officials.

“All officials need to grow the game. We need to continue to grow the profession of officiating. We are in an extreme shortage of officials. I work with the Shreveport association, which is run by Trey Gigglio, and we have started to have position meetings for high school officials that are trying to better themselves and learn the craft of officiating,” said Bordelon.

What are his goals for the future?

“I want to be an official that crew members I work with know that I’m going to be solid, do the job I’m supposed to and be where I’m supposed be and make the call the way I’m supposed to make it. And, I just want to call football at a high level,” said Bordelon.

His boss, Smith believes nothing is unattainable for his PIO.

“Guys, some day very soon we’re going to be watching a top ranked college football game or we are going to be watching an NFL game and I’m going to be so proud to say I know that guy who’s down there officiating on the field,” said Smith.

If you would like to find out more about becoming a high school football official in the state of Louisiana, check out the link to the Louisiana High School Officials Association.

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