George Wendell D'Artois, Sr. | |
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| Public safety commissioner in Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| In office November 1962 – August 6, 1976 | |
| Preceded by | J. Earl Downs |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 25, 1925 Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | June 11, 1977 (aged 51) San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Complications from heart surgery |
| Resting place | Forest Park Cemetery East in Shreveport |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Billie Claire Best D'Artois |
| Children | George Wendell D'Artois, Jr. Mary Cecile D'Artois Murray
Elaine Claire D'Artois |
| Parent(s) | William Francis D'Artois, Sr. Mary Holmes D'Artois |
| Residence(s) | Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Alma mater | C. E. Byrd High School Louisiana State University |
| Occupation | Law enforcement officer |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Marine Corps |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Battles/wars | Bougainville in Pacific Theater of Operations of World War II |
George Wendell D'Artois, Sr. (December 25, 1925 – June 11, 1977) was an American law enforcement officer and politician in Shreveport, Louisiana, who served as the city's Public Safety Commissioner from 1962 to 1976. D'Artois was investigated more than once for misuse of city funds, and was arrested for his alleged involvement in the 1976 shooting death of Jim Leslie, a Shreveport advertising executive who had managed D'Artois' 1974 re-election campaign. He was released for lack of evidence. A trial on charges of theft of city funds and intimidation of witnesses was postponed several times because of D'Artois's poor health. Arrested again in April 1977 for Leslie's murder, D'Artois died the following month during heart surgery and never went to trial. Histories published in the decades since D'Artois' death state that he was involved with organized crime and had contracted for the murders of both Leslie and Leslie's killer to prevent their testimony before a grand jury.