LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- The Lafayette community is mourning the loss of retired officer Paul "Lumberjack" Taylor, who passed away last Friday, leaving behind a legacy of compassion and commitment to the community.

Taylor served the Lafayette Police Department for two decades, known for his dedication to community engagement and youth programs.

"He was the community. It was that officer that goes all out in the community. The community respects him," said Seargeant Robin Green with the Lafayette Police Department. "That was him, he was all about the community."

Taylor was deeply involved in influencing the youth of Lafayette, notably through teaching karate classes as a self-defense mechanism. He also served as a DARE officer for surrounding schools and continued his commitment to safety by becoming a school safety officer after retirement.

Green emphasized that Taylor's impact on juveniles in the community did not end with his retirement from law enforcement, as he continued to be actively involved in community safety and youth programs.

The Lafayette Police Department believes that Taylor's contributions will have a lasting impact on the community for generations to come.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KLFY. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KLFY staff before being published.

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