[Police Chief Candidate Review Meeting on November 2, 2023.]
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GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND WELCOME TO THE POLICE CHIEF REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING ON THIS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND, 2023 AT 4:00 PM I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
LESLIE, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM AT THIS TIME? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE NOVEMBER 1ST MEETING.
SECOND BY MS. VICTORIA, SECONDED BY MS. CALWELL.
ANY OBJECTIONS AT THIS TIME? WE'LL PROCEED WITH THE CANDIDATE INTERVIEWS PURSUANT TO LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTE 42 17.
THIS MATTER MAY BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE'RE GONNA BEGIN WITH OUR FIRST CANDIDATE, CLIFF IVY.
I'M LAMONT CO-CHAIRMAN OF THE POLICE CHIEF REVIEW COMMITTEE.
AND THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO CONDUCT THIS INTERVIEW, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO MAKE AN OPENING STATEMENT.
EACH COMMITTEE MEMBER WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK UP TO TWO QUESTIONS WE CAN ASK TWO, WE MAY NOT ASK TWO, BUT WE CAN ASK UP TO TWO QUESTIONS AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO ANSWER EACH QUESTION, AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO MAKE CLOSING REMARKS.
SO WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, LET ME KNOW.
THANK YOU, MR. UH, MAYOR PRO TEM.
UH, THANK THIS COMMITTEE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE IT UNDOUBTEDLY AS SHOWN BY YOUR SERVICE, EACH COMMITTEE MEMBER REALIZES THE GRAVITY OF THE DECISION OUR MAYOR, PRESIDENT MUST MAKE IN THE COMING DAYS IN THE SELECTION OF A NEW POLICE CHIEF.
I'M 50 YEARS OLD AND A LIFELONG SOUTH BATON ROUGE RESIDENT.
I WAS BORN TO AN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER AND A BATON ROUGE POLICE OFFICER WHO LATER LEFT THE DEPARTMENT WHEN I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD.
GRADUATED FROM MCKINLEY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL IN 1990, THEN WENT ON TO LSU WHERE I OBTAINED A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE AND A JURIS DOCTOR AND BACHELOR OF CIVIL LAW FROM LS, U'S LAW SCHOOL.
I VALUE EDUCATION, ESPECIALLY SINCE I'M STILL PAYING FOR IT.
I BEGAN MY LAW ENFORCEMENT JOURNEY AS A POLICE EXPLORER WITH THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 1988, WHICH IS A YOUTH PROGRAM SPONSORED BY THE BOY SCOUTS FOR TEEN BOYS AND GIRLS WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN LAW ENFORCEMENT WORK.
I LATER GRADUATED FROM THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT ACADEMY AND BECAME A RESERVE OFFICER SERVING AT THE SECOND AND FOURTH DISTRICTS ORAMA AND THE DWI TASK FORCE.
I LATER SERVED AS A PATROL DEPUTY WITH POINTEE IN WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICES.
IN OCTOBER OF 2020, I WAS HIRED BY THE CITY OF CENTRAL TO BE ITS ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF.
IN 2022, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF COMPLETING THE FBI LAW ENFORCEMENT EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT LEADERSHIP SERIES.
I'VE PRACTICED LAW IN BATON ROUGE IN THE BATON ROUGE AREA SINCE 2002.
AS A SOLO PRACTITIONER, I'VE REPRESENTED INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES, AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THROUGHOUT MY CAREER.
MY GREATEST PROFESSIONAL MOMENT CAME IN 2012 WHEN I ARGUED A CASE BEFORE THE LOUISIANA SUPREME COURT IN 2009.
MY, MYSELF, AND MY TWO CURRENT PARTNERS OPENED KOON'S BARBECUE AND RELATED SUPPORT COMPANIES.
WHILE OUR CURRENT DIN LOCATION IS IN PORT ALLEN, WE LATER OPENED IT TO GO TAKEOUT SITE IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.
EVERYTHING I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED AND EVERYTHING I HAVE I OWE TO THIS COMMUNITY.
WHY AM I HERE? BECAUSE THIS IS MY HOME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. HARVEY.
NOW WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE CANDIDATE QUESTIONS.
MR. IVY, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TRAIT A POLICE CHIEF SHOULD HAVE? AND CAN YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE HOW YOU EXHIBITED THAT TRAIT? UH, WELL, ONE, UH, I THINK A, A TRAIT IS, UH, AN IMPORTANT TRAIT IS ONE, UH, WHO IS NOT, UH, PRONE TO RASH DECISION MAKING.
UH, RARELY, UH, IN THIS PROFESSION, UH, UH, MUST LAW ENFORCEMENT MAKE A SPLIT SECOND DECISION? THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHEN THEY DO, AND THOSE SPLIT SECOND DECISIONS CAN HAVE GREAT CONSEQUENCE.
CLEARLY, THE MOST, UH, OBVIOUS INSTANCE IS WHEN THE DAILY FORCE HAS TO BE USED.
BUT, UM, I'M MORE OF A CONTEMPLATIVE PERSON.
UM, TAKE MY APPROACH TO READING CASES.
GRANTED, THE HOLDING IS HOLDING IS VERY IMPORTANT, THE ACTUAL RULE OF LAW FROM THAT CASE, BUT I NEVER OVERLOOK THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE DECISION, BECAUSE IT CAN BE, CAN, CAN LEAD YOU TO HOW A COURT MAY RULE IN THE FUTURE.
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AFTERNOON OR EVENING, MR. IVY.UH, SO MY QUESTION IS FROM CATEGORY ONE, PERSONAL APPROACH AND LEADERSHIP.
GIVEN YOUR RESUME WORKING WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, RUNNING A BUSINESS, RUNNING YOUR OWN FIRM, I'M CURIOUS HOW THAT WILL PARLAY INTO BRPD.
SO THE QUESTION IS, THIS POSITION OF CHIEF IS LIKE THAT OF ACEO OF A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR ORGANIZATION, WHICH OVERSEES HUNDREDS OF STAFF AND MILLIONS OF TAXPAYERS AND MANAGES THOUSANDS OF PHYSICAL RESOURCES.
WHAT IN YOUR BACKGROUND MAKES YOU QUALIFIED TO SERVE AT THIS LEVEL? AND COULD YOU PLEASE PROVIDE SPECIFIC DETAILS? UH, YES, SIR.
UM, FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS I'VE PARTICIPATED IN MY POLICE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGETARY PROCESS.
UH, WE'VE, UH, BEEN ABLE TO PERSUADE THE COUNCIL, UH, TO INCREASE OUR BUDGET EACH OF THOSE THREE YEARS.
AND, UH, PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT IS UNKNOWN IN GOVERNMENT WORK.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY COME IN UNDER BUDGET ALL THREE YEARS.
IT'S LIKE, OH, DEAR GOD, YOU'RE RETURNING MONEY TO THE CITY.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING? BUT WE HAVE, UH, SECOND, UM, LEADERSHIP.
UH, WITHIN EIGHT MONTHS OF MY ARRIVAL, THE CHIEF AND I HAD BEGUN A MODERNIZATION PROGRAM.
UH, WE OBTAINED THE FUNDING FOR AND PURCHASED, UH, BODY-WORN CAMERAS, UH, TASERS AND RIFLE RATED BODY ARMOR.
UH, AND WE ALSO DEVELOPED POLICIES, UH, FOR, UH, THEIR USE.
UM, THIS PAST, UH, CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, UH, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, THE CHIEF IN EFFECT TOOK THE TRAINING WHEELS OFF FOR ME AND SET ME OFF ON MY OWN TO NOT ONLY DEVELOP A, UH, REASONABLE EQUIPMENT WISHLIST FOR OUR DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO, UH, DIRECTED ME TO GO OUT AND FIND THE FUNDING FOR IT.
THANKFULLY, WE DID, UH, WE OBTAINED A GRANT FOR, UH, THAT EQUIPMENT.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UM, IN 2009, UH, MY PARTNERS AND I OPENED THE DOORS TO KONS.
I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT WE STILL SMOKING TODAY, UM, AND WE HAVE, UH, UH, ANYWHERE BETWEEN 60 TO 70 EMPLOYEES AT ANY GIVEN TIME AND GENERATE GROSS REVENUES UPWARDS OF $4 MILLION A YEAR.
SO I'M VERY, I'M VERY PROUD AND, UH, VERY LUCKY.
AND, UH, AT TIMES VERY NERVOUS WHEN I SIGN PROMISSORY NOTES OR, OR AT LEAST GUARANTEEING THE PROMISSORY NOTES FOR THAT BUSINESS.
UH, JUST PRAY THAT, UH, UH, PEOPLE KEEP EATING MEAT.
HOW ARE YOU NERVOUS, MA'AM?
WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO CHANGE THAT? UH, I'LL BE VERY CURRENT EVENT TO THE BATON JAIL FOR SPECIFIC.
UM, WHEN AFTER THE BRAVE CAVE REVELATIONS, ACTUALLY IN THIS VERY ROOM, YOU HAD A METRO COUNCILWOMAN, UH, UH, UH, BE BLUNT, A WHITE REPUBLICAN SPEAK ABOUT IF SHE WERE TO, UH, HAVE TO COUNSEL HER GRANDCHILD TO GO, UH, SEEK HELP FROM A BATON ROUGE POLICE OFFICER, SHE'D HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT DOING THAT.
THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT CANARY IN THE COAL MINE.
BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE LOST THAT DEMOGRAPHIC, WHICH HAS HISTORICALLY HAD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE POLICE, WHAT ELSE HAS HAPPENED IN THE MINORITY COMMUNITY AS FAR AS THEIR VIEWS AND THE IMPACT OF THE, WHAT THE BRAVE CAVE HAS DONE? UH, ONE, UH, AND I MAY UN UNFORTUNATELY, I MAY REPEAT THIS A LOT.
THIS IS A BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT MESS.
I UNDERSTAND MR. GREEN WILL SHAKE HIS HEAD A MINUTE, UH, THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AS FAR AS LAW ENFORCEMENT WISE, THEY'RE GONNA INVESTIGATE AND DO WHAT THEY DO REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE DOES.
BUT TO REESTABLISH THE FIRST THING THIS, THIS, UH, GOVERNMENT MUST DO TO REESTABLISH FAITH IN THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS A BATON ROUGE.
POLICE OFFICERS WEARING THAT BADGE NEED TO BE DOING THESE INVESTIGATIONS.
AND WHEN PROBABLE CAUSE IS DEVELOPED, THEY NEED TO BE THE ONES MAKING THEIR ARRESTS AND GIVING HILL OR MOORE PROSECUTE, UH, PROSECUTABLE CASES.
UH, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S STEP ONE.
CONVERSATIONS HAVE TO TAKE PLACE AFTER THAT.
'CAUSE, 'CAUSE OTHERWISE IT'S, THE WORDS WILL BE MEANINGLESS ON CLIFF.
HOW YOU DOING? YOU'RE GONNA TELL ME AT ONE POINT, MAN, YOU SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT US SOME OF THAT COOL YAS BARBECUE.
POTATO, I'M TELLING YOU,
HOW YOU DOING? GOOD TO SEE YOU, BROTHER.
WHAT IS THE PLAN TO ADDRESS THE INCREASED RATE OF ATTRITION AMONGST EARLY RETIREMENT AND MID-CAREER DEPARTURES, LOST EXPERIENCE IN DEPARTURES OF 12 TO 15 YEAR OFFICERS? IT'S A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE AT THE DEPARTMENT HOW YOU PLAN TO ADDRESS THAT.
WELL, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
THERE'S BEEN A SIGNIFICANT BRAIN AND EXPERIENCE DRAIN AT THE BATON ROUGE
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POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, WHICH IS FORCING THE DEPARTMENT TO RELY UPON, UH, TWO AND THREE AND FOUR YEAR OFFICERS TO BE FTOS.UM, ONE, I THINK YOU NEED TO INSTILL, UH, THE CONCEPT OF PROCEDURAL JUSTICE INSIDE THE DEPARTMENT.
UH, WHAT THAT MEANS IS, UH, MEMBERS NEED TO BE TREATED FAIRLY.
IT NEEDS TO BE COMMUNICATED DIRECTLY TO EMPLOYEES THAT MIS THAT DIFFERENCES OF OPINION, UH, AND RESPECTFUL DISSENT, UH, ARE NOT GOING TO BE MIS MISCONSTRUED AS MISCONDUCT.
I LOOK AT IT, UH, AS IF, IF MY AND MY TEAM, IF EVERYBODY'S THINKING THE SAME THING, SOMEBODY IS NOT THINKING AND GETTING A CONTRARY VIEWPOINT, UH, WILL EITHER, WILL DO ONE OF TWO THINGS, POSSIBLY MAKE ME CHANGE MY MIND, OR MAKE ME FEEL A LOT BETTER ABOUT THE DECISION I'M ABOUT TO MAKE.
UH, SO THAT, UM, I THINK THAT'S EVERYTHING IS, WILL FLOW FROM THAT CONCEPT.
MR. IVORY, WHAT DOES THE FIRST 100 DAYS LOOK LIKE? RANK THE TOP FIVE PRIORITIES IN YOUR PROCESS FOR ACCOMPLISHING THEM.
WELL, IMMEDIATE, IMMEDIATELY UPON LEAVING MY SWEARING IN CEREMONY, WHERE THE LAST THING I WILL DO IS THANK THIS COMMITTEE AND THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT FOR HER CHOICE, UH, I WILL DEMAND TO BE TAKEN TO EVERY FACILITY THAT THIS DEPARTMENT OPERATES OUT OF.
UH, AND FROM THAT POINT, I WILL NARROW THE PLACES PERSONS IN CUSTODY MAY BE TAKEN, THE CRITERIA FOR WHAT FACILITIES THOSE PEOPLE MAY BE TAKEN.
UH, FIRST, UH, WE WILL REST UPON WHETHER THERE ARE ADEQUATE SURVEY, AUDIO AND VIDEO SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF CITIZENS THAT ARE BROUGHT THERE.
UH, TWO RE UH, IN THE SHORT RUN REFOCUS THE DEPARTMENT'S EFFORTS, UH, ON THESE THREE THINGS AND THIS PRIORITY, THE PROTE, UH, PRESERVATION OF LIFE, THE PROTECTION OF RIGHTS, AND THE PROTECTION OF PROPERTY, UH, THROUGH THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE CRIMINAL AND TRAFFIC LAWS FOR THE CITY AND THE STATE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE FEDERAL AND STATE CONSTITUTION.
THREE, GO THROUGH POLICIES AND PROCEDURE MANUALS ABSOLUTELY AS FAST, BUT AS COMPETENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE START OFF FROM A GOOD FOUNDATION.
THERE ARE THREE POLICIES IN THERE, THEY'RE EXTREMELY QUESTIONABLE.
ONE, THE SEARCH, STRIP SEARCH POLICY, AS I READ IT NOW AS POSTED ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE, STRIP SEARCHES OF NON ARRESTEES ARE PERMITTED SOLELY ON THE BASIS ARTICULABLE, REASONABLE SUSPICION THAT IS LEGALLY INDEFENSIBLE AND CONSTITUTIONALLY OFFENSIVE.
SECOND, UM, THERE IS A, UM, POLICY WITH REGARDS TO, UH, DIS THE DISCIPLINARY PROCESS WHERE DEPAR, UH, CURRENT POLICY ALLOWS FOR THE IA COMMANDER TO DETERMINE HOW LONG AN EMPLOYEE HAS TO SECURE REPRESENTATION WHEN HE'S IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING THAT IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW, AND ITS SETS YOU UP FOR A PROCEDURAL DEFECT THAT WILL RESULT IN NULLITY OF THE PUNISHMENT.
THIRD, UH, CURRENT DEPARTMENT POLICY WITH REGARDS TO, UH, PUBLIC INFORMATION PROHIBITS THE POSING OF PRISONERS FOR PICTURES OR PERSONS IN CUSTODY FOR PICTURES, GO LOOK AT THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE, UH, EXCUSE ME, FACEBOOK PAGE AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
THEY DO NOT FOLLOW THAT, UH, FOURTH DIRECTLY AND IN PERSON.
THAT'S YOUR TIME ON THAT QUESTION, SORRY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. DRIVING, MA'AM.
UM, I'M INTERESTED IN, UH, WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT AND HOW YOU WOULD, UH, INCORPORATE THAT IN YOUR ADMINISTRATION.
WELL, THE WAY I LOOK AT IT IS WE DON'T GIVE TAX MONEY.
TAX MONEY IS TAKEN FROM US BY THE GOVERNMENT.
SO I THINK IT'S OBSCENE TO THINK THAT THE, UH, PUBLIC SHOULD NOT HAVE SOME VOICE AND THE OPERATIONS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THAT SAID, I THINK THAT I LOOK AT LAW ENFORCEMENT AS I LOOK AT MY LEGAL CAREER, IT IS A PROFESSION.
OKAY? THERE'S A, I GO TO LAW SCHOOL, I GO TO A POLICE ACADEMY.
I GET A LICENSE TO PRACTICE LAW FROM THE SUPREME COURT.
I GET A LICENSE TO ENFORCE THE LAW THROUGH MY COMMISSION FROM THE CITY THAT I WORK FOR.
UM, I USUALLY GO THROUGH SOME TYPE OF MENTORSHIP PROGRAM LIKE DOCTORS DO IN THEIR RESIDENCY.
SO I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME LEVEL OF TRAINING OR FAMILIARITY WITH PEOPLE WHO WOULD SIT, UH, ON SUCH BOARDS.
UH, BUT ONE THING THAT HAS LOST HAS BEEN LOST IN THIS, IS THAT WE, WE HAVE A MUNICIPAL FIRE POLICE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD.
THEY HAVE THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS AGAINST MEMBERS OF THE CLASSIFIED SERVICE.
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MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS THE TWO ATTORNEYS, AT LEAST THE TWO ATTORNEYS, WHICH I'M AWARE THAT ARE ON THIS BOARD, THEY HAVE SUBPOENA POWER.THAT IS AN INCREDIBLE INVESTIGATIVE TOOL.
AND FOR MEMBERS OF THE CLASSIFIED SERVICE THAT IGNORE, UH, A SUBPOENA, THE CONSEQUENCE IS TERMINATION.
SO, IN EFFECT, I MEAN, NOBODY THINKS OF LOUISIANA BEING AT THE FOREFRONT OF ANYTHING GOOD, UNFORTUNATELY.
BUT IN THIS RESPECT, THE LEGISLATURE HAS GIVEN US THAT BOARD, THAT AUTHORITY, AND THAT BOARD WOULD'VE BEEN A PERFECT VENUE TO TURN TO WHEN THE FIRST BRAVE CAVE COMPLAINT CAME IN.
AND IT APPEARS IT GOT LOST IN THE, IN THE SHUFFLE AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
YOU KNOW, I WAS GONNA, YOU KNOW, I WAS GONNA ASK YOU THIS QUESTION.
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE IN WORKING WITH THE POLICE UNION? I HAVE AT TIMES BEEN A CONTRACT ATTORNEY.
UM, I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT, FIRST OF ALL, I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT FEDERAL LABOR LAW AS IT PERTAINS TO UNION ACTIVITIES OR UNION ORGANIZATION.
UH, THE, THE CONTRACT WORK I'VE DONE FOR THEM HAVE, HAS BEEN ON BEHALF OF INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF MISCONDUCT.
AND THAT IS LIMITED TO, UH, LOUISIANA CIVIL SERVICE LAW.
UH, THAT IS BEEN MY RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, UH, THE, THE POLICE UNION.
AND THEN, I MEAN, JUST THE OTHER DAY, I ATTENDED, UH, A, UH, THEY CALLED IT AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW.
UH, I REPRESENTED ONE OF THE OFFICERS INVOLVED IN THE, UH, OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING OVER ON FAIRWAY VIEW OFF COLLEGE BACK IN JULY.
AND THAT INVESTIGATION WRAPPED UP YESTERDAY WITH THAT ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW.
UH, MR. IVY, WHAT ARE YOUR PROPOSALS? THIS IS FROM THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SECTION.
UH, WHAT ARE YOUR PROPOSALS CONCERNING NETWORKING WITH OTHER SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY, SUCH AS CHURCHES, NONPROFITS, ADVOCACY GROUPS WHO WORK TO ADDRESS THE CAUSES OF CRIME, SUCH AS POOR EDUCATION, JOB OPPORTUNITIES, ADDICTION? WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THIS AREA? WELL, UH, I CAN TELL YOU WHAT WE DID IN CENTRAL, UM, AND IT KIND OF TOOK A LIFE OF, UH, LIFE OF ITS OWN.
UH, BUT ON SUNDAYS, THAT IS GENERALLY, UH, FOR US, A VERY LOW CALL VOLUME DAY, ESPECIALLY IN THE MORNING.
UH, AND OUR OFFICERS, UH, AND WE, WE NEVER PROHIBITED FROM DOING IT, BUT NOW IT IS WIDE, FAIRLY WIDESPREAD.
OUR OFFICERS GO AND ATTEND TO CHURCH SERVICE IF THEY CHOOSE TO.
CAN'T FORCE 'EM TO, I THINK YOU MIGHT IMPLICATE SOME FIRST AMENDMENT CONCERNS IF YOU DID THAT.
BUT THE ONLY THING THAT WE ASK OF THEM IS, UH, TO, UM, BE ACCESSIBLE BY TELEPHONE, UH, AND PARK AND SIT WHERE YOU CAN LEAVE IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT CAUSING A DISRUPTION IF YOU HAVE TO.
UM, ONE OF OUR CHURCHES IS REALLY GOOD TO US.
THEY, UH, ABOUT EVERY OTHER MONTH, UH, THEY SELECT, UH, A POLICE EMPLOYEE, UH, TO HONOR AT A CHURCH SERVICE, AND THEN THEY TAKE THEM OUT TO LUNCH.
UM, IT'S, IT'S REALLY BEEN A GOOD THING.
AND I WAS ACTUALLY TOLD NOT TO MENTION THIS, BUT, UH, THE COMMUNITY THEATER CAME TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ONE DAY.
UH, I'M ACTUALLY LEAVING HERE AND I'M GONNA GO PERFORM ON STAGE TONIGHT.
THEY NEEDED A POLICE OFFICER TO PLAY THE, PLAY A ROLE IN THE STAGE PRODUCTION OF CLUE.
AND THEY THOUGHT THAT SINCE IT WAS THE CENTRAL'S COMMUNITY THEATER, UH, IT WOULD BE A GREAT THING IF YOU COULD, IF THE, THE, THE ACTOR WOULD WEAR A PULL, A CENTRAL POLICE UNIFORM.
SO, I WILL BE LEAVING HERE AND PUTTING ON WHAT I CALL MY GOVERNMENT CLOTHES TO, TO GO ACT.
AND WE, WE PROMOTED, UH, WIDESPREAD ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, AND IT HAS BEEN A, A HIT, UH, MEETING PEOPLE THAT IT, WHAT IT IS, IT'S MEETING PEOPLE AND COMING INTO CONTACT WITH FOLKS.
OTHERWISE, YOU, YOU NEVER WOULD.
UM, MY QUESTION IS ABOUT VIOLENCE REDUCTION.
COULD YOU PLEASE DISCUSS WITH US, UM, ANY NEW IDEAS YOU HAVE FOR VIOLENCE REDUCTION IN OUR COMMUNITY? WELL, I THINK TO A LARGE EXTENT, UM, AND IT'S DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE POLICE, UH, HAVE THE MOST CONTACT WITH THE CITIZENS, UH, AS OPPOSED TO JUDGES AND PROSECUTORS.
UH, TOO MUCH OF THE BLAME IS LAID UPON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND I THINK THAT FRUSTRATION WAS BORNE OUT BY CHIEF PAUL A MONTH OR TWO AGO AT A PRESS CONFERENCE WHERE, UH, HE DESCRIBED THE, THE REVOLVING DOOR.
WE CONTINUOUSLY BOOK IN THE SAME PEOPLE TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
UM, AND THEN THEY'RE BACK OUT OF THE, IN THE COMMUNITY SHORTLY
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THEREAFTER WITH VIRTUALLY NO CONSEQUENCE.AND THE PUBLIC LOOKS TO US LIKE YOU'RE DOING NOTHING.
UM, STATISTICS SHOW THAT IT, IT IS A CORE GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND IN FACT, IN ALL COMMUNITIES, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF THE VIOLENCE.
AND THOSE THAT WE SHOULD TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND USE THIS MORE AS A SURGICAL APPROACH THAN A, THAN A BROAD BASED BROKEN WINDOW THEORY TYPE APPROACH, UH, THAT ALIENATES SO MANY PEOPLE.
UM, SECOND, UM, WE MUST CONTINUE THE, UH, AGAIN, THE DATA DRIVEN, UH, ASPECT OF COMM OF 21ST CENTURY POLICING RECENTLY.
I ALSO, I THINK THIS WILL ALSO HELP THE PROBLEM.
UH, I HAD THE HONOR OF, UH, INTRODUCING JUDGE DON JOHNSON TO THE BATON ROUGE ROTARY CLUB.
UH, HE WAS OUR SPEAKER, UH, AND HE SPOKE, UH, CONCERNING THE, UH, MODIFICATIONS THAT THE 19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT IS TRYING TO MAKE, UH, ONE, TO SPEED THINGS FROM OR SHORTEN THE TIMEFRAME TO, FROM ARREST TO TRIAL, BUT ALSO TO INCREASE, UH, JUDICIAL MONITORING OF PRETRIAL DETAINEES WHO MAY BE OUT ON BOND.
AND, UH, ALSO, UH, THERE'VE BEEN SOME HIGH PROFILE INCIDENTS WITH THE BOND, UH, WITH THE ANKLE MONITORING COMPANIES.
UH, I KNOW THE LEGISLATURE ADDRESSED, EXCUSE ME, ADDRESSED THAT LAST YEAR OR LAST, UH, SESSION.
UH, IT WAS AN INDUSTRY THAT WAS, UH, REFERRED TO AS THE WILD WEST.
NOW THEY HAVE TO REGISTER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE STATE AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE FOR PROMULGATING UH, REGULATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT OF THAT.
BUT, UH, IF SELECTED TO BE THE CHIEF, I WILL NOT HESITATE TO, TO USE THE PASS YOUR TIME ON THAT QUESTION.
UH, SO THIS IS FROM, THIS QUESTION'S FROM CATEGORY 12, POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FOR NON BRPD CANDIDATES.
SO EARLIER THIS YEAR, OR AT THE END OF 2022, THERE WAS AN ISSUE REGARDING POLICE CHASES BECAUSE, UM, TWO STUDENTS WERE KILLED, MAGGIE DUNN IN CAROLINA GILL, AND THERE WAS THE, THE SAME DAY THAT I BELIEVE TONY CLAYTON RELEASED HIS STATEMENT, BRPD AND CENTRAL ENGAGED IN CHASES.
AND SO, IN RELATION TO THAT, I WAS CURIOUS IF OR HOW YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH CENTRAL PD HAS GIVEN YOU ANY INSIGHT ABOUT STRUCTURES, PROCEDURES, COLLABORATION, THAT CAN INFORM YOUR ROLE AS CHIEF, AND SPECIFICALLY IF POLICIES LIKE POLICE CHASES WERE RETOOL, REVISED, REVISITED, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE, UM, THE POLICE ARE NOT IN THE LETTING PEOPLE GO BUSINESS.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT WHY PEOPLE COME BECOME POLICE OFFICERS.
BUT WE HAVE TO TAKE A BALANCED APPROACH BASED UPON THE NEED, THE IMMEDIATE NEED TO APPREHEND THE OFFENDER THAT'S FLEEING VERSUS THE RISK THAT THE CONTINUED PURSUIT, UH, POSES, UH, TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO IN CENTRAL.
WE, IT'S A BALANCING APPROACH.
UM, WE GET A LOT OF FLACK ABOUT NOT CHASING NONVIOLENT MISDEMEANORS, BUT I HAD THE UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT OF HAVING TO GO MAKE A DEATH NOTIFICATION ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, UH, FOR A TRAFFIC CRASH HOMICIDE THAT THANKFULLY DID NOT INVOLVE THE CENTRAL POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AS TOUGH AS THAT WAS, I COULD NOT IMAGINE HAVING TO GO MAKE THAT DEATH NOTIFICATION AFTER THE FACT KNOWING THAT ONE OF MY OFFICERS WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
SO, UM, UH, I MEAN, CLEARLY, IF, IF IT IS THE MIRROR, IF IT IS THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE OFFENDER OF A, OF A VEHICLE THAT IS POSING THE RISK, WELL THEN BY ALL MEANS YOU CONTINUE TO STAY BEHIND THAT PERSON.
AND, AND THE, THE OBVIOUS INCIDENT IS THE OBVIOUS DRUNK DRIVER, UH, BECAUSE THE CONTINUED OPERATION IS WHAT'S POSING THE RISK, NOT THE CHASE, UH, VIOLENT FELONIES, UM, UH, SHOULD BE PURSUED.
BUT IN THE INSTANCE OF PROPERTY CRIMES SUCH AS THE ONE THAT, THAT YOU MENTIONED, UH, OR REFERENCED, UH, WHERE THE TWO YOUNG LADIES WERE KILLED, IT WAS A PROPERTY CRIME WHERE THE OFFENDER'S IDENTITY WAS KNOWN.
WHY ARE YOU STILL CHASING THAT PERSON? THAT'S WHAT WARRANTS ARE FOR.
I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I DO WANNA WISH YOU WELL TONIGHT.
IS THIS YOUR DEBUT? UH, NO MA'AM.
THIS IS ABOUT MID, UH, UH, MIDWAY THROUGH THE, THE, THE PRODUCTION WE'LL BE, UH, AND TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE NOW,
WE WILL WRAP UP ON, UH, WITH A SUNDAY MATINEE.
IT'LL BE THURS TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY AND SUNDAY'S THE MATINEE.
UH, UH, CLIFF, WHAT QUALITY DO YOU POSSESS THAT WILL MAKE YOU THE BETTER CANDIDATE? WELL, I THINK THE FACT, UH, I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT MY LAW PRACTICE, MY LAW
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DEGREES HAVE ALWAYS COMPLIMENTED ME BEING A POLICE OFFICER AND VICE VERSA.UM, CERTAINLY REPRESENTING CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS, UM, BECAUSE YOU, YOU GOTTA LOOK AT IT IS WHEN YOU CATCH SOMEBODY COMMITTING A CRIME, THAT'S NOT WHO THEY ARE EVERY DAY.
WHEN THEY WALK INTO COURT WITH THE SUIT AND THE TIE, GENERALLY, THAT'S NOT WHO THEY ARE EVERY DAY, EITHER YOU'RE MEETING THEIR REPRESENTATIVE.
UM, SO I, I THINK BEING A DEFENSE LAWYER HAS GIVEN ME A LOT OF INSIGHT, UH, A LOT OF COMPASSION, MORE COMPASSION THAT I HAD BEFOREHAND.
UH, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ACCUSED OF CRIMES, NOT EVERYBODY WHO COMMITS A CRIME IS EVIL.
DO YOU BELIEVE BRPD SHOULD BE REORGANIZED? WHY AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE? I'M NOT SO CERTAIN THAT THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO BE REORGANIZED.
UH, I THINK WE NEED TO REORGANIZE OUR THINKING IN TERMS OF HOW WE WORK.
UM, WHEN WE PARTNERED, WHEN CENTRAL POLICE PARTNERED WITH BRECK THIS SUMMER, UH, WE DID AN INTERVIEW ON ONE OF THE NEWS STATIONS AND WE TALKED.
THEY TALKED ABOUT WHAT DUTIES WOULD WE, WE WOULD BE PERFORMING AND WHAT, WHAT QUALIFICATIONS WE HAD TO PERFORM THEM.
AND ONE OF THOSE THAT, THAT WE WERE GOING TO RENDER AID TO PEOPLE WHO WERE, UH, IN DISTRESS IN THE FRENCHTOWN CONSERVATION AREA.
AND THAT IS A HUGE PARK, UH, ON THE BORDER WITH LIVINGSTON PARISH.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE STRESSED ALL THE MEDICAL TRAINING, UH, THAT WE HAD.
UH, THE CENTRAL FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS REALLY, REALLY, UH, UH, BENEFICIAL TO US IN THAT RESPECT.
UM, BUT WHAT I SAID WAS WHAT I MEANT THAT I LOOK AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, YES, WE'RE THE LAW ENFORCERS, BUT PRIMARILY WE'RE A LIFESAVING ORGANIZATION.
AND THAT'S THE WAY I THINK THAT WE NEED TO, THE MENTALITY WE NEED TO APPROACH LAW ENFORCEMENT WORK.
UM, MR. IVY, I'D LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, WHAT YOUR STANDARDS WOULD BE OR WHAT YOUR TACTICS WOULD BE FOR HANDLING, UH, OFFICERS THAT BEHAVE BADLY
I KNOW THAT BRPD IS DEALING WITH THAT.
SO HOW, HOW DO YOU BALANCE THOSE TWO? ONE, I'M A FIRM FIRST.
I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IN THE LAW FOR THEE IS THE LAW FOR ME.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES SHOULD BE FOLLOWED.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MISTAKES AND INTENTIONAL MISCONDUCT.
UH, MISTAKES SHOULD BE CORRECTED, MAYBE NOT PUNISHED.
I TAKE A DIFFERENT STACK OR, OR A DIFFERENT TRACK WITH REGARDS TO REPEATED MISTAKES WHEN PEOPLE DON'T LEARN.
BUT INTENTIONAL MISCONDUCT, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE TOLERATED.
AND, UH, IT IS A MORALE KILLER, UH, IN THE SENSE THAT, UH, IF YOU DON'T ADDRESS MISCONDUCT, IT TENDS TO SPREAD WHEN IT IS KNOWN THAT IT WILL NOT BE PUNISHED.
I ALSO THINK, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT ONE WAY TO FOSTER AN UNHEALTHY ATMOSPHERE IS TO HAVE EMPLOYEES BE ABLE TO OVERTURN DISCIPLINE THAT IS IMPOSED.
AND GIVEN MY BACKGROUND WITH REGARDS TO CIVIL SERVICE LITIGATION, UH, WHEN AN EMPLOYEE IS, WOULD BE DISCIPLINED BY ME, THEY WILL STAY DISCIPLINED.
UH, MR. IVY, YOU MENTIONED REVIEWING THE POLICE CHASE POLICY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UH, POLICIES OR PROCEDURES THAT YOU KNOW OF THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE? UH, WELL, I, I BRIEFLY TOUCHED ON 'EM EARLIER IN MY, UH, MY FIRST 100 DAY, UH, QUESTION.
BUT, UH, CLEARLY THE STRIP SEARCH POLICY HAS TO CHANGE UNLESS YOU WANNA KEEP GETTING SUED AND KEEP VIOLATING PEOPLE'S RIGHTS.
UH, IT, IT, IT CANNOT STAND, IT WILL NOT WITHSTAND CONSTITUTIONAL SCRUTINY.
UM, I'M NOT SAYING WHETHER POSING PRISONERS FOR PICTURES FOR YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE IS RIGHT OR WRONG, UH, BUT THERE IS A POLICY THAT PROHIBITS IT THAT IS CURRENTLY ON THE BOOKS ACCORDING TO THE BATON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE.
WHAT IS THAT TELLING EMPLOYEES OF THE BATS POLICE DEPARTMENT IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW YOUR OWN POLICY? UM, AND AGAIN, THERE'S ALSO A CONCERN ABOUT THE DISCIPLINARY PROCESS.
UH, IT'S A PROCEDURAL RULE THAT ALLOWS THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS COMMANDER, UH, TO DETERMINE THE LENGTH OF TIME AN EMPLOYEE HAS TO OBTAIN COUNSEL WHEN FACING
[00:30:01]
A DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDING THAT'S CONTRARY TO STATE LAW, IT SETS YOU, IT'S, IT'S A TRAP, UH, TO COMMIT A PROCEDURAL DEFECT THAT WOULD RENDER THE DISCIPLINE.PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY, BUT, UH, BREAK A LEG.
I DO GET CLOCKED IN THE HEAD WITH A CANDLESTICK HOLDER, THOUGH.
WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON QUALIFIED IMMUNITY NEED? WELL, QUALIFIED IMMUNITY, TO ME, IT, IT IS GOOD FAITH IMMUNITY.
UH, IT IS ONE OF TWO TYPES OF IMMUNITY AFFORDED VARIOUS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, ONE BEING ABSOLUTE, WHICH IS AFFORDED JUDGES, PROSECUTORS, AND LEGISLATURES WHEN THEY'RE PERFORMING THEIR OFFICIAL FUNCTIONS.
QUALIFIED IMMUNITY IS ACTUALLY IMMUNITY AFFORDED A MULTITUDE OF EX, GENERALLY EXECUTIVE BRANCH OFFICIALS, SOME OF WHOM ARE THE POLICE.
UH, IT MERELY PREVENTS, UH, OR, OR THE WAY IT ACTS.
IT'S A CIVIL CONCEPT IN THE CONTEXT OF A CIVIL SUIT THAT REMOVES THE EMPLOYEE, UH, OR THE GOVERNMENT OFFICER, UH, FROM THE LAWSUIT.
IT ALSO SHIELDS HIS ASSETS, UH, FROM HAVING TO SATISFY A JUDGMENT.
SO LONG AS THE ALLEGED VIOLATION OF, OF LAW WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS, UH, THE RIGHT WAS NOT CLEARLY ESTABLISHED.
UM, I THINK IT HAS ITS USES, UH, IN TERMS OF, IT'S, IT'S A BALANCING OF POLICY.
THE IDEA OF SATISFYING OR PAYING PEOPLE WHO ARE AGGRIEVED BY GOVERNMENT ACTION VERSUS THE NEED TO HAVE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS EXERCISE THEIR DISCRETION SO LONG AS IN GOOD FAITH.
SO, I, I I THINK IT'S STILL, IT STILL HAS A ROLE.
TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING STATEMENTS.
FIRST, I WOULD AGAIN LIKE TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND RECOGNIZE THE COMMITMENT EACH MEMBER HAS TO THIS, TO THE COMMUNITY.
BY SERVING ON THIS BOARD, IT HAS TRULY BEEN AN HONOR TO MAKE IT THUS FAR.
I CLOSE OUT WITH BOTH AN OBSERVATION OF OUR CITY AND ITS PEOPLE AND SOLEMN DUTY, OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT OWES ITS CITIZENS.
SOME PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE THE ECONOMIC RESOURCES THAT AFFORD THEM AN ARRAY OF OPTIONS WHEN CERTAIN PROBLEMS ARISE IN THEIR LIVES, ONLY ONE OF WHICH MAY BE DETERRENT TO THE POLICE.
THERE ARE OTHERS IN OUR CITY WHOSE ECONOMIC MEANS DO NOT PROVIDE THEM WITH THOSE OPTIONS, WHICH MAKES THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT THE ONLY CHOICE THEY MAY HAVE.
AND THAT REALIZATION MUST BE MY GUIDING PRINCIPLE AND EACH AND EVERY DECISION I MAKE AS CHIEF OF POLICE, IF SELECTED, I OWE IT TO THOSE CITIZENS TO SHORE TO ENSURE THAT THE POLICE OFFICER THAT RESPONDS TO THEIR HOUSE, THEIR BUSINESS, THEIR TRAFFIC CRASH, OR THEIR CALL FOR HELP, HAS BEEN RECRUITED, WELL VETTED, AND GIVEN THE BEST TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT I CAN PROVIDE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. I NEXT FEW WILL HEAR FROM CONRAD JOAQUIN.
UH, MR. UH, CONRAD JOAQUIN EMAILED EARLIER TODAY, UH, VOLUNTARILY WITHDRAWING HIMSELF FROM THE PROCESS.
ALRIGHT, NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM DAVID WALLACE.
MR. COLE, AS MAY I HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A POINT OF PER PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, YOU MAY PLEASE.
I WOULD LOVE TO THANK THE BEAUTIFUL WOMEN OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED ON BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
MY WIFE DELTA, THANK BE CLAPPING 'CAUSE SHE WATCHING HER HOME.
I LOVE THE FACT THAT, UM, THIS INCREDIBLE ORGANIZATION, WHICH I'M BLESSED TO BE A PART OF, WE LOVE TO BE A PART OF THE PROCESS, NOT JUST THE OUTCOME.
SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OUTTA YOUR ALREADY BUSY SCHEDULES TO BE HERE WITH US TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, LADIES.
IS THAT ON PURPOSE? PROBABLY
I AM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE POLICE CHIEF REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO CONDUCT THIS INTERVIEW, YOU'RE GOING TO BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO MAKE AN OPENING STATEMENT.
AND THEN EACH COMMITTEE MEMBER WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK TWO QUESTIONS.
WE MAY ONLY ASK ONE OR NONE, BUT WE CAN ASK UP TO TWO QUESTIONS.
UH, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO ANSWER
[00:35:01]
EACH QUESTION, AND THEN YOU'LL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO MAKE A CLOSING STATEMENT.I DO SEE YOU HAVE SOME FOLDERS THERE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO PASS THEM OUT FIRST OR AT THE END, PLEASE? MAY I? YOU MAY.
I'M SURE THIS HAS BEEN PUBLISHED TO YOU ALREADY, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I JUST, ALL RIGHT.
YOU CAN BEGIN WITH YOUR OPENING STATEMENT.
TURN MIKE ON AT THE BOTTOM OF THE, AT THE BASE, AT THE VERY BOTTOM.
SO WHAT ABOUT IT? IS IT, IS IT SPEAKING TO, IS IT GREEN AT THE BOTTOM? IT IS GREEN.
I NEED TO GET A LITTLE CLOSER.
CAN I, CAN I RESTART MY TIME OR I GOTTA HURRY? YEAH, NO, YOU GOT IT.
GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
I'M A 31 YEAR VETERAN WITH THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I KNEW AT A VERY EARLY AGE WHEN MY CAREER PATH WAS GONNA BE, AND I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT.
THE FIRST CHANCE I HAD IN 1992, I WAS HIRED AS A POLICE CADET.
THAT'S THE LOWEST POSITION IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND TODAY I'M A CAPTAIN AND DISTRICT COMMANDER OVER FIRST DISTRICT.
IN 1994, I ATTENDED THE, UH, POLICE ACADEMY, AND IT WAS THERE THAT I RECOGNIZED THE VALUE IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING.
SINCE ATTENDING THE ACADEMY, I'VE COMPLETED OVER 60 SPECIALIZED COURSES ACQUIRING OVER 4,000 ADDITIONAL SELF-INITIATED TRAINING HOURS.
I'VE ATTENDED THE FBI INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT COURSE.
I'M AN INSTRUCTOR IN RADAR, LIDAR, DEFENSIVE TACTICS, AND SOLO MOTORCYCLES.
I SERVED ON OUR SWAT TEAM FOR WELL OVER A DECADE, NOT ONLY AS ENTRY PERSONNEL, BUT ALSO AS A SNIPER.
I, UM, I'M A CERTIFIED ANALYST THROUGH FOUR SCIENCE INSTITUTE, AND IN 2012, I ATTENDED THE PRESTIGIOUS FBI NATIONAL ACADEMY IN QUANTICO, VIRGINIA.
SINCE ATTENDING THE ACADEMY, I REMAINED ACTIVE IN THE ASSOCIATION, SERVING ON THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AS WELL AS I'VE SERVED AS THE PRESIDENT FOR THE LOUISIANA CHAPTER OF THE FBI AND NATIONAL ACADEMY ASSOCIATES.
A PORTION OF MY CAREER I SERVED WITHIN THE TRAFFIC BUREAU.
I SERVED IN MANY POSITIONS, TWO OF WHICH WERE THE ASSISTANT TRAFFIC COMMANDER AND ALSO THE SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR.
THOSE POSITIONS AFFORDED ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR LOCAL, STATE, AND OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS ON ANY AND ALL EVENTS IN OR AROUND THE BATON ROUGE AREA.
MY JOB WAS TO ORGANIZE A FACILITATE EVENTS SUCH AS PRESIDENTIAL VISITS, UH, D-I-V-I-P AND DIGNITARY VISITS.
I WAS THE OPERATIONS COMMANDER FOR LSU FOOTBALL FOR THE LOUISIANA MARATHON, FOR THE ICE STORM, FOR HURRICANE RECOVERY, CIVIL UNREST, THE OFFICER FUNERALS, AS WELL AS THE HISTORIC 2016 FLOODS.
IN ADDITION TO THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES, I WAS ALSO THE LEAD MOTORCYCLE INSTRUCTOR.
MY JOB WAS TO ENSURE THAT OUR OFFICERS WERE WELL TRAINED.
DURING THAT TIME, I DEVELOPED TRAINING CURRICULUMS, WHICH HAVE SINCE BEEN PUBLISHED AND RECOGNIZED AROUND THE NATION AS THE GOLD STANDARD IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I'VE TRAINED OFFICERS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES, AS WELL AS, UH, COUNTRIES FROM BRAZIL, ECUADOR, MEXICO.
I'VE EVEN TRAINED THE PRINCE OF JORDAN.
I DEVELOPED TRAINING CURRICULUM FOR THE JORDANIAN ARMY, AND I'M RECOGNIZED AS A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT.
I LOVE GIVING BACK TO MY COMMUNITY.
IN 2014, I HELPED CREATE OUR CHURCH SECURITY TEAM, WHICH I STILL CURRENTLY SERVE.
IN ADDITION, I SERVED ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF MULTIPLE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, TO WHICH ONE IN PARTICULAR I CREATED IN 1998.
I SERVED MANY YEARS AS THE PRESIDENT.
AND TO DATE, WE'VE RAISED WELL OVER $1 MILLION FOR THE CHILDREN OF ST.
I KNOW IT'S AWFUL RUSH BECAUSE OF THE TIME RESTRAINT.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I WELCOME YOUR QUESTION.
I, I, I'M SURE YOU'RE VERY WELL FAMILIAR WITH THE 21ST POLICING PILLARS.
COULD YOU DISCUSS WHICH TWO, OTHER THAN COMMUNITY POLICING, BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THOSE, WHAT ARE THE, THOSE TWO PILLARS OTHER THAN COMMUNITY POLICING IS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU? THE NUMBER ONE THAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME IS OFFICER EDUCATION AND TRAINING.
I CAN GO INTO YOUR COMMUNITY, I CAN MAKE THESE BIG F STRATEGIC PLANS ON HOW I'M GONNA IMPLEMENT.
IF I DON'T HAVE THE OFFICERS ON THE GROUND IMPLEMENTING MY PLAN, IT'S USELESS.
THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE PILLAR TO ME IS, UM, IS EDUCATION AND TRAINING.
I THINK WITH PROPER EDUCATION AND TRAINING, IT'S GONNA TAKE CARE OF THE SECOND PILLAR, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST PILLAR IN COMMUNITY POLICING.
I THINK, UH, BUILDING TRUST AND LEGITIMACY WILL BE DONE THROUGH OUR ACTIONS.
SO THOSE ARE TWO PILLARS THAT I FEEL THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
IF YOU TRUST ME OR IF YOU TRUST WHAT OUR OFFICERS ARE DOING, UH,
[00:40:01]
LIFE IS GONNA BE A LOT EASIER.AND IT STARTS AT THE GROUND LEVEL.
SO THIS IS FROM CATEGORY 11, POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FOR CURRENT BRPD CANDIDATES.
GIVEN YOUR EXTENSIVE RESUME AND LENGTH OF TIME AT BRPD, WHAT SKILLS OR ABILITIES HAVE YOU GAINED FROM YOUR CURRENT OR PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENTS THAT ALLOW YOU TO STAND OUT AMONG THE OTHER CANDIDATES? WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE TABLE IN TERMS OF WE CAN OPERATE? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
CERTAINLY LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT.
I'VE, UH, I'VE BEEN A LEADER MY WHOLE CAREER.
FORTUNATELY FOR ME, I WAS IN THE TRAFFIC BUREAU FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, EVEN AS A JUNIOR SERGEANT, I'M OUT LEADING, I ASSUMED COMMAND OF LSU FOOTBALL AT A VERY YOUNG AGE OR EARLY IN MY CAREER.
UH, AND I'VE CARRIED IT THROUGHOUT.
CERTAINLY THE FBI NATIONAL ACADEMY HELPED ME, BUT THE, THOSE EVENTS HAVE HELPED ME SUCCEED.
MANAGING EQUIPMENT AND, AND MY SUPERVISORS IDENTIFYING VALUE IN ME AT EARLY AGE OR AT EARLY IN MY CAREER.
SO, UH, THOSE ARE THE ASPECTS I FEEL THAT WOULD, UH, HELP ME.
HOW YOU DOING IT? MY QUESTION IS COMING FROM EXTERNAL ACCOUNTABILITY, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO EITHER START COMPLETE AND OR RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC THE MULTITUDE OF INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE? THANK YOU.
UH, THE, THE WAY WE MEASURE OURSELF IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT.
COULD YOU REPEAT THAT QUESTION ONE MORE TIME? I WANNA MAKE SURE I HEARD IT 'CAUSE I'M NOT SURE I ANSWERED MR. DRAKE'S QUESTION, UH, THE WAY IT WAS ASKED.
WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO EITHER START COMPLETE AND OR RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC? LET ME START OVER.
WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO EITHER START COMPLETE AND OR RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC THE MULTITUDE OF INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE? YES.
SO WE'VE CERTAINLY HAD A LOT OF NEGATIVE PRECEDENT RECENTLY, AND I THINK THE BIGGEST QUESTION THAT THE PUBLIC HAS ON US AND OUR AGENCY IS THE UNKNOWNS.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OR ALLEGED, AND WHEN WE HOLD 'EM IN AND DON'T ANSWER 'EM, WE LOSE THAT TRUST AND LEGITIMACY.
I WOULD, I WOULD RELEASE THE INFORMATION WHEN WE DO GOOD.
I'M APP PRAISE THE OFFICERS, AND WE DO BAD.
WE'RE GONNA GET IN FRONT OF IT AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE OWNERSHIP, BUT WE CERTAINLY GONNA CORRECT THOSE ACTIONS AND MOVE FORWARD.
UH, CAPTAIN WALLACE? YES, SIR.
UH, YOU, YOU'VE BEEN AROUND A WHILE, LOOKS LIKE, MAN.
UH, SO, SO THE, UH, BRPD FOR YEARS OPERATED UNDER A CONSENT DECREE.
BECAUSE OF RETENTION, HIRING, DISCIPLINE, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH, THAT CONSENT DECREE WAS SETTLED A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS TO ENSURE THAT IT DOES NOT GO BACK UP UNDER THE CONSENT DECREE? YES, I'M FAMILIAR WITH THAT CONSENT DECREE.
WE HAD A OFFICER WHO RETIRED WHO WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN REMOVING US FROM THAT CONSENT DECREE.
AND WHAT I WOULD DO TO CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT SAME PROCESS AGAIN, IS ENSURING THAT OUR DEPARTMENT IS MADE UP OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR CITY.
WE DO KNOW IT'S PREDOMINANTLY, I THINK IT'S OVER 50% BLACK AND WE GOT THE HISPANICS AND THE WHITE OR THE HISPANICS AND ASIAN COMMUNITY.
WHAT I WOULD DO IS GO INTO OUR SCHOOLS, AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO RECRUIT AT A HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
I THINK WE NEED TO GO INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND RECRUIT IN JUNIOR HIGH.
I THINK WE NEED TO GET 'EM BEFORE THEY GET LED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, BEFORE THEY HAVE A, A BLUR.
I WANT TO MENTOR TO THEM IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND JUNIOR HIGH.
SO WHEN THEY GET TO HIGH SCHOOL, WE CAN ALREADY GO AHEAD AND HAVE THEM INTO OUR, OUR EXPLORE PROGRAMS, OUR CADET PROGRAMS, WHERE I ACTUALLY TOOK, SO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF.
SO WHAT I WOULD DO IS ENSURE THAT WE'RE TARGETING THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAKE UP OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THAT'S THE AREAS IN WHICH WE'RE POLICING.
WE NEED TO, THIS DEPARTMENT HISTORICALLY, HAS POLICED IN A MANNER THAT WE FELT THAT THE PUBLIC WANTED.
AND THAT'S OUR PITFALL BECAUSE THEY'RE OUR CUSTOMERS.
WE NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THEY WANT, WHAT SERVICES THEY WANT PROVIDED, AND THAT'S THE SERVICES WE NEED.
AND CERTAINLY, HIRING THOSE FROM WITHIN ARE GONNA GIVE US THE INTELLIGENCE THAT WE NEED TO IN ORDER TO PRODUCE A GOOD PRODUCT.
WHAT DOES YOUR FIRST 100 DAYS LOOK LIKE? RANK THE TOP FIVE PRIORITIES IN YOUR PROCESS FOR ACCOMPLISHING THEM? OH, YES, SIR.
MY FIRST A HUNDRED DAYS, UH, WILL NOT BE THAT BUSY FOR ME.
UM, WHEN I WAS IN MY EARLY THIRTIES, I BUILT A HOUSE.
BEFORE I BUILT THAT HOUSE, I IDENTIFIED THE CONTRACTORS, THE SUBCONTRACTORS.
I KNEW WHAT I HAD TO ACCOMPLISH.
I KNEW NOTHING OF BUILDING A HOUSE.
BUT BEFORE I LAID THE FIRST BOARD, I BUILT THAT HOUSE A HUNDRED TIMES BEFORE I PUT MY NAME IN THE HAT.
I REACHED OUT TO INDIVIDUALS THAT I KNOW HAVE VALUE.
I KNOW THAT THEY CAN BRING AND CHANGE THE DYNAMICS OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
[00:45:01]
TO 'EM AND SAID, IN THE EVENT, I'M AFFORDED THIS OPPORTUNITY, WILL YOU DO THIS FOR ME? WOULD YOU DO THIS FOR OUR DEPARTMENT? WILL YOU DO THIS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY? AND I HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE READY TO ACT NOW IN THE EVENT I'M NAMED, BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S TIME SENSITIVE.WE KNOW IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN NOW.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A VERY TALENTED DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE A VERY MOTIVATED GROUP OF PEOPLE, AND WE DO RECOGNIZE THE CRIES OF THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS THE OFFICERS.
SO WE'RE READY TO, TO MOVE THIS DEPARTMENT IN A BETTER DIRECTION.
OH, IF I MAY, UH, I GOTTA GIVE YOU MY, MY TOP FIVE AND I'LL RUSH THROUGH IT.
THE FIRST THING I'M GONNA DO IS, UH, DEDICATE ANY AND ALL RESOURCES TO VIOLENT CRIME.
THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT'S PLAGUING OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THE INFORMATION I'M GIVING YOU, I SUBMITTED IN THAT PACKET BEFORE ANY CANDIDATE, UH, WAS BEFORE YOU.
I WOULD, UH, DEDICATE ALL MY RESOURCES TO VIOLENT CRIME.
IT'S NOT ONLY A PROBLEM LOCALLY, BUT AROUND THE NATION.
IT'S SPILLING OUT NOT ONLY IN OUR CITIES, BUT IN OUR PARISH AND OUR OTHER PARISHES.
THE SECOND THING I WOULD DO IS CONTINUE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN, UH, OUR COMMUNITY.
NOT ONLY AT AN EXECUTIVE LEVEL.
I DON'T WANT TO GO IN THERE AND TELL THE COMMUNITY WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR.
I WANT THE OFFICERS, THE SERGEANTS FROM THE GROUND TO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO'S PART OF THE PROCESS.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO'S GONNA IMPLEMENT AND HAVE THE PROCESS.
THEY'RE GONNA BE THE LINK THAT CONNECTS EVERYTHING, AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE OWNERSHIP IN THE PROCESS BECAUSE THEY'RE INVOLVED IN RETURN.
THE THIRD THING IS IMPORTANT TO ME IS BUILDING MORALE.
YOU KNOW, WITHOUT THE TROOPS, WE'RE USELESS.
AND THAT SECOND PROCESS IS GONNA BUILD THAT THIRD PROCESS.
WE'RE GONNA REBRAND AND GIVE OUR OFFICERS A PURPOSE.
THAT'S GONNA BE OUR THIRD, FOURTH.
I WANT TO IMPLEMENT A COMMUNITY AUDIT DIVISION.
I WANT TO COMMIT, CREATE A DIVISION, WHICH IS HIGHLIGHTED IN THAT PACKET.
IT CONSISTS OF INDIVIDUALS FROM SOUTHERN AND LSU, WHO ARE, ARE, UH, GRADS AND UNDERGRADS FROM SOCIOLOGY AND CRIMINOLOGY.
UH, I WANT THEM TO GO OUT AND RECONTACT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE CONTACTED US IN RETURN, TAKE THAT INFORMATION, MAKE US BETTER.
AND FIFTH AND FINAL, I WANT TO, UH, IMPLEMENT A WARNING PROGRAM TO MOVE US FROM A STAT DRIVEN DEPARTMENT TO A DEPARTMENT OF COMPASSION WHERE WE CAN MEASURE POSITIVE CONTACTS.
I WAS LOOKING AT MY NOTES AND I GOT LOST FOR A SECOND.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IMPLEMENTED IS CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT.
SO I'M INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT AND HOW YOU WOULD IN, UH, IN INCORPORATE THAT IN YOUR ADMINISTRATION.
SO WHEN I BECAME DISTRICT COMMANDER OF FIRST DISTRICT, WHICH IS PLAN ROAD, I WAS PRIVILEGED TO GET LINKED UP WITH, UH, BATON ROUGE, B-R-C-S-T AS A COMMUNITY ROUNDTABLE.
AND IT'S COMPOSED OF INDIVIDUALS, LOCAL AND NATIONAL WHO DISCUSS VIOLENT CRIME ISSUES AND ARE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
AND BY ATTENDING THOSE FOR OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, UH, MS. ALEXANDER WAS THE HEAD OF IT.
IT ENLIGHTENED ME AND BROUGHT ME DOWN TO A LEVEL TO WHERE I CAN COMMUNICATE AND SEE THE NEEDS AND SEE THE DIFFERENT ASPECT.
AND THAT REALLY CHANGED MY MINDSET AS A COMMANDER, ALSO AS A POTENTIAL CHIEF, IS THE VALUE THAT WE HAVE WHEN WE GET DOWN AND TALK TO 'EM AT THE END OF THE DAY WITH THE SAME PERSON, WITH THE SAME GOALS.
SO I WOULD REC, UH, WELCOME ANY INSIGHT COMMITTEE BECAUSE I FEEL THE MORE KNOWLEDGE I HAVE ON THE SUBJECT MATTER, THE BETTER WE CAN MAKE A DECISION.
UH, THE POSITION OF CHIEF OF POLICE IS, UH, ACTING AS A, SERVING AS ACEO OF A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR ORGANIZATION, WHICH OVERSEES HUNDREDS OF STAFF AND MILLIONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS ADVANTAGE, THOUSANDS OF PHYSICAL RESOURCES.
WHAT IN YOUR BACKGROUND MAKES YOU QUALIFIED TO SERVE AT THIS LEVEL? LEVEL? PLEASE PROVIDE SPECIFIC DETAILS.
CERTAINLY, I'VE NEVER MANAGED A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR BUDGET, BUT IN MY CAREER, I'VE MANAGED ENTIRE DIVISIONS WITH, AND I'VE HIGHLIGHTED IT IN THE PACKET I PROVIDED YOU WITH PURCHASING THE NEW AND OLD EQUIPMENT.
I'VE MANAGED RENOVATIONS IN DEPARTMENTS OR DISTRICTS.
I'M ACTUALLY RENOVATING OUR FIRST DISTRICT RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY.
I'VE MANAGED GRANTS, I'VE DONE PAYROLLS FOR LARGE EVENTS.
UM, I HAD OVER 700 PEOPLE AT OUR DISPOSAL MANAGING THOSE.
I'VE, I'VE SERVED ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF MULTIPLE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
AS I HIGHLIGHTED EARLIER, RAISING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OR A MILLION DOLLARS FOR ST.
MY WHOLE CAREER HAS LED ME UP, NOT TO THAT MAGNITUDE, BUT SERVING IN ALL THOSE FACETS.
IN ADDITION, I'M VERY PRE, UH, PRIVILEGED THAT I HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK IN OUR ACCOUNTING DIVISION THAT I CAN LEAN ON.
[00:50:01]
I'M, I PRIDE MYSELF ON IS I DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH, BUT I DO KNOW SOMEBODY THAT DOES KNOW A LOT.SO I CAN ALWAYS LEAN ON THEM OR GET THEM FOR GUIDANCE.
I'M VERY CLOSE WITH THE SHERIFF OF, IN THE NEIGHBORING PARISHES, SHERIFF S TRO, HIS COMMAND STAFF.
IN ADDITION, I HAVE A, A PLETHORA OF RESOURCES THAT I CAN USE TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE SUCCESS THROUGH THE FBI NATIONAL ACADEMY.
I HAVE A DIARY OR A, A MEMBERSHIP THAT COVERS THE WORLD, YOU KNOW, KNOW WHETHER IT'S DUBAI, WHOEVER'S DOING IT RIGHT, IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
UH, MR. WALLACE, THIS IS A TWO PART QUESTION.
ONE IS A FOLLOW UP TO, UH, THE, THE FIVE PRIORITIES YOU HAD, ONE OF WHICH WAS BUILDING TRUST.
AND, UM, AND THE MORALE OF YOUR OFFICERS.
SO I'D LIKE YOU TO ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON THAT, ON HOW YOU WOULD, UH, BOOST THE MORALE OF, OF THE RANK AND FILE.
AND THE SECOND PART IS RELATED TO THAT, AND IT'S ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUR OFFICERS.
AND, UH, HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THOSE TWO THINGS, PLEASE? WELL, BUILDING MORALE, FIRST THING IS I'M, I'M, I'M GONNA BE A MAN OF INTEGRITY.
AND, UM, WHEN I TELL YOU SOMETHING, I MEAN IT.
IF I TELL YOU, YOU CAN WRITE IT DOWN BECAUSE IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
IT'S KINDA LIKE AN OLD COWBOY.
UM, I THINK WHEN YOU DO THAT AND YOU LIVE BY YOUR WORDS, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY CAN SAY A BUNCH OF STUFF.
IT'S THE PERSON WHO ACTS IT OUT.
THAT'S GONNA BUILD TRUST, THAT'S GONNA BOOST MORALE.
IN ADDITION, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA BUILD THEIR CHARACTER AND WE'RE GONNA IDENTIFY THEM AS PROFESSIONALS IN OUR FIELD AND GIVE THEM THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO BE PROFESSIONALS.
I THINK OUR OFFICERS HAVE LOST THEIR IDENTITY.
I THINK THEY'VE LOST THEIR PURPOSE.
THE, THE, THE HEADLINE ON MY, MY PAMPHLET IS POLICING WITH A PURPOSE.
OUR GUYS ARE AND GALS ARE, UH, THEY'RE LOST.
AND IT IS EVIDENT, OH, MENTAL HEALTH IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE SEE THE WORST OF THE WORST.
WE COME ENCOUNTER WITH INDIVIDUALS EVERY DAY DURING THAT ONE TIME IN THEIR LIFE.
THAT IS, EVERYTHING'S TRAUMATIC.
WE COME IN THERE, WE WEAR SO MANY HATS, AND IT, IT PLAYS ON OFFICERS.
SO I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A PEER SUPPORT TEAM THAT IS EXTREMELY ACTIVE.
IT'S, IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE, BUT IT'S REALLY IN ITS INFANCY STAGES, BUT ALSO ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
I KNOW MISS SUSAN'S OVER THE PEER SUPPORT AND THEN THE, THE RESOURCES WE HAVE.
AND BEING THAT WE DO HAVE A NATIONAL OUTLET, I DO KNOW SOME OF THE PEOPLE ARE MORE PRONE TO REACH OUT TO HER BECAUSE YOU, YOU'RE NOT SPREADING YOUR BUSINESS TO SOMEONE LOCAL AND YOU'RE WILLING TO, TO SPEAK.
SO THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT I'M VERY, I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT, BECAUSE AS I STATED EARLIER, WITHOUT THE MEN AND THE WOMEN IN THE BATON ROU POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH THEIR SUPPORT AND THEIR VISION, WE'RE GONNA FAIL.
AL AS IVID THOROUGHLY ENJOYED YOUR RESPONSES HERE TONIGHT.
AND THIS, MY QUESTION COMES FROM THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SECTION.
UH, IT SAYS, HOW DO YOU PROPOSE TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE BLACK COMMUNITY, TO IMPROVE TRUST AND OPEN COMMUNICATION? WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THIS AREA? WELL, AS I ALLUDED TO EARLIER, UM, ONE THING THAT I LEARNED AS BEING A TRAFFIC OFFICER, AND I WAS A TRAFFIC OFFICER FOR A LONG TIME, IS ENGAGEMENT.
BEING AT MANY, MANY EVENTS, INTERACTING.
WE NEED TO ENGAGE, WE NEED TO OPEN UP DIALOGUE.
EVERYBODY NEEDS TO HAVE RESPECT.
WE NEED TO HAVE TRUST, TRANSPARENCY.
WE, EVERYBODY NEEDS TO, TO HAVE A VOICE.
IF YOU HAVE THOSE THINGS, WE'RE GONNA BE FINE.
AND AS I ALLUDED TO EARLIER, ONE OF MY LETTERS OF REFERENCE IS FROM THE, THE LADY WHO WAS WITH, UH, THE B-R-C-S-T.
I HAVE A MEETING NEXT THURSDAY.
IT'S THE SECOND THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH THAT I ATTEND, WHICH IS ON A DISTRICT LEVEL.
AND, UH, UNFORTUNATELY FOR ME, UM, I'M CONTAINING TWO FIRST DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, THE RESOURCES I HAVE AND THE AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY ARE PRO PROPRIETARY TO MY DISTRICT.
BUT I WOULD OPEN UP THOSE, THOSE DIALOGUES.
AND WHAT I'VE SEEN IS WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS BECAUSE WE GET IN COMMUNICATION, WE'RE TAKING THAT COMMUNICATION, AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE DELEGATING OUR OFFICERS AND RESOURCES.
BUT, UM, ONE THING THAT WE'VE SEEN IS, IS THE FEEDBACK WE GOT AND THE INTELLIGENCE THAT WE'RE GETTING IS HELPING US BE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE WE KNOW THE COMMUNITY WANTS THE SAME THING.
WE WANNA BE LIKE THE MAYTAG REPAIRMAN.
WE WANNA BE THERE WITHOUT A JOB.
SO YOU REFERENCED, UM, THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY STREET TEAM AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY ROUND TABLES.
AND YOU SHOUTED OUT JOSIE ALEXANDER, WHO HAPPENS TO BE MY MENTEE, AND, UM, OH, SHE'S GREAT.
SO GLAD GLAD THAT YOU WORK WITH HER.
UM, I DO WANT ALONG THOSE, THAT SAME VEIN, I'M INTERESTED TO HEAR ANY NEW IDEAS YOU HAVE AROUND VIOLENCE REDUCTION IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS, THIS ASPECT.
WHEN I TOOK OVER THE, UH, FIRST DISTRICT, WHICH IS A PORTION OF 7 0 8 0 2, AND 7 0 8 0 5, WE KNOW THE ZIP CODE'S, RIGHT.
HISTORICALLY, THEY'RE VIOLENT.
THEY HAVE VIOLENT PLACES WITHIN THEM.
SO EARLIER THIS YEAR, I IMPLEMENTED A PROGRAM WITH THE BLESSING OF MY DEPUTY CHIEF, AND I LABELED IT VIOLENT CRIME MITIGATION.
AND MY OBJECTIVE WAS, IS TO IDENTIFY MY GREATEST STRESSOR AND WHAT AM I GONNA DO TO ALLEVIATE IT.
AND IT'S ONLY ON A DISTRICT LEVEL.
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SO WHAT I'VE DONE IS I'VE TAKEN THE DATA THAT WE HAVE, THE INTELLIGENCE THAT WE HAVE, AND I RESEARCHED IT, AND I DO IT EVERY WEEK.I RESEARCH IT, AND I GATHER THE INTELLIGENCE OF WHERE OUR CRIME HAS HAVE OCCURRED, WHAT TIMES OF DAYS HAVE THEY OCCURRED, WHEN HAVE THEY OCCURRED, WHEN THEY'RE MOST LIKELY GONNA REOCCUR.
AND I'VE, EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT, I SEND EMAILS TO MY COMMANDERS, MY LIEUTENANT SHIP LIEUTENANTS, AND WE SEND OUR OFFICERS TO THOSE AREAS DURING THOSE TIMES TO BE VIGILANT, TO BE ACTIVE, TO BE SEEN, TO DETER, AND TO TAKE ANYTHING IN ACCOUNT THAT THEY, THEY COME ACROSS.
WE HAVE SEEN A DRAMATIC DECREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME IN THE AREAS THAT WE'VE DONE THIS SINCE THE LATE LATE JUNE.
WE'VE HAD ONE MURDER IN 7 0 8, 0 2, 0 7, 0 8 0 2, AND ONE IN 7 0 8 0 5.
UM, IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN ASTRONOMICAL.
AND THIS IS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS WHEN WE HISTORICALLY HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVITY.
SO I'VE REACHED OUT TO OUR, UH, VIOLENT CRIMES COMMANDER AND EVEN COMMANDERS BEFORE BECAUSE THEY, YOU KNOW, I THINK EVERYONE HAS KNOWLEDGE.
I SAY, WHAT, WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE COMMON DENOMINATOR? AND THEY BOTH HAVE STATED, THERE'S NO DOUBT YOUR PROGRAM IS EFFECTIVE.
WHEN WE IDENTIFIED THE EFFECTIVENESS, I'VE ALSO MENTORED TO SOME OF THE OTHER DISTRICT COMMANDERS WHO'VE, WHO ARE DOING QUITE THE SAME THING.
UH, THE NEW COMMANDER, FIFTH DISTRICT, UH, CAPTAIN BLAKE IS DOING IT IN FIFTH DISTRICT AND IT'S MINE IS TARGETED AROUND VIOLENT CRIME.
AND I TOLD HIM, ONCE WE GET IT SUPPRESSED, WE'RE NOT MOVING ON TO SOMETHING ELSE.
WE'RE GONNA STAY IN THAT AREA AND TO DO THE SAME THING BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT IT TO REKINDLE.
I DON'T WANNA SEE ANOTHER MOTHER ON TV.
I KNOW I CAN'T PREVENT 'EM ALL.
I KNOW I CAN'T DISSOLVE 'EM ALL, BUT IF WE CAN REDUCE 'EM AND DO THE BEST WE CAN, I'M GOOD WITH IT.
JUST ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU.
UH, THIS IS FROM CATEGORY TWO, ROLE OF POLICE.
WHAT ARE THE THREE PRIMARY OR THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT ROLES OF A CHIEF OF POLICE IN A CITY LIKE BATON ROUGE? AND WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THOSE THREE? INTEGRITY.
I ALLUDED TO IT EARLIER BECAUSE I COME FROM A RODEO BACKGROUND AND, UM, INTEGRITY.
NOW THE SECOND THING IS I THINK HE NEEDS TO BE AN ACTIVE LISTENER.
YOU GOTTA HEAR THE VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
YOU GOTTA HEAR THE VOICE OF YOUR, YOUR, THOSE THAT WORK FOR YOU.
YOU NEED TO BE AN ACTIVE LISTENER.
AND THEN I THINK YOU NEED TO BE A VISIONARY.
I THINK YOU NEED TO SEE, UM, YOU NEED TO SEE WHAT'S TO COME AND PREDICT AND HOPEFULLY STAY AHEAD OF THE EIGHT BALL AND BE WILLING TO ADJUST.
AND YOU'RE GONNA ADJUST THROUGH KEEPING EARS OPEN AND BEING AN ACTIVE LISTENER.
THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS I THINK ARE MOST IMPORTANT.
YOU JUST SAID AN ACTIVE LISTENER THREE TIMES.
SO I'M GONNA, MY QUESTION IS COMING FROM STANDARDS AND STRATEGIES, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ADDRESS POTENTIALLY DISCRIMINATORY STOPS AND ARREST? WE'RE GONNA DO THAT THROUGH TRAINING AND, AND ENSURING THAT OUR SHIFT LIEUTENANTS AND SERGEANTS ARE STAYING ACTIVE IN REVIEWING CONTACTS.
SO ONE THING I'VE HIGHLIGHTED, AND I STATED EARLIER WITH THE TOP FIVE THINGS I WOULD DO, IS I WANT TO POLICE WITH A PURPOSE.
I WANT TO MAKE EVERY INTERACTION COUNT, BRPD.
SINCE, SINCE IT I'VE EVER, WHEN, SINCE I WAS HIRED ON THE LATE NINETIES, WE ARE A STAT DRIVEN DEPARTMENT.
THE ONLY RECORDS THAT WE HAVE IS THROUGH NEGATIVE ENFORCEMENT, THROUGH ARREST, THROUGH MISDEMEANORS, OR THROUGH TRAFFIC CITATIONS.
I WANT TO IMPLEMENT A WARNING SYSTEM TO WHERE WE CAN HAVE ALL OUR CONTACTS MEASURED THE BODY OF WORK.
IF AN OFFICER GOES OUT AND HE CONTACTS AN INDIVIDUAL AND HE MENTORS TO HIM, HE CORRECTS THE NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR OR DRIVING HABIT AND THEY LEAVE, THERE'S NO RECORD OF THAT.
I WANT TO HAVE A RECORD OF THAT.
BUT WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS ENSURE THAT OUR SUPERVISORS ARE LOOKING AT THE BODY CAMS INTERACTING IN A LOT OF THE, THE OFFICERS WHO HAVE HAD TROUBLE, HAVE GIVEN INDICATORS THAT THEY FAILED TO RECOGNIZE.
WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THOSE INDICATORS.
AND IF YOU STOP AND LISTEN, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR 'EM.
CAP CAPTAIN WALLACE? YES, SIR.
UH, I'VE OFTEN HEARD IT SAID THAT WE CAN'T ARREST OUR COMMUNITY TO SAFETY.
WHAT PLANS DO YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT SAFE TODAY AND TOMORROW? I APPRECIATE THAT.
SO WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS I'M GONNA DEDICATE OUR RESOURCES TO INTELLIGENCE-BASED POLICING.
I'M GONNA DEDICATE ALL OUR RESOURCES TO IDENTIFY THE INDIVIDUAL OR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CAUSING THE PROBLEMS. AND WE'RE GONNA PUT OUR RESOURCES ON THOSE.
WE DO UNDERSTAND, AND IT'S HIGHLIGHTED IN THE NEWS RECENTLY, WE'RE NOT PERFECT.
WE MAKE MISTAKES ALL THE TIME, AND IT'S HIGHLIGHTED, BUT SO DO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE NEED TO HAVE THAT COMPASSION.
WE NEED TO HAVE THAT POLICING, UH, THOSE OFFICERS TO BE EDUCATED AND TRAINED WHEN, WHEN ALLOWED TO, TO USE COMPASSION.
SO WE CAN'T ARREST OUR WAY OUT OF THIS.
WHEN I KNOW AS A KID, WHEN MY SISTER AND I WAS DOING SOMETHING, OR EVEN IN SCHOOL, IF ONE KID'S TALKING, I DON'T
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WANT 'EM TO COME IN THERE AND GET ON TO EVERYBODY.I WANT 'EM TO GET ON THE PERSON WHO WAS TALKING.
I DON'T LIKE THE, THE, UM, BROKEN WITNESS THEORY.
WE DON'T LIKE IT, AND THEY DON'T LIKE IT.
SO WE'RE GONNA TARGET THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ACTUALLY CAUSING THE TROUBLE, HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
THEN HOPEFULLY STAY IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THE STREETLIGHTS COME ON, AND YOUR KIDS PLAY AND GO INSIDE AND EVERYTHING'S GOOD.
I, I LIKE THE LAST PART OF THE, THE ANSWER BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING FOR, ONCE YOU ARREST, THEY, THE, THE, THE TOP GUY IN THE, ON THE STREET, THE YOUNGSTER LOOKS TO TAKE HIS PLACE, ALWAYS LOOK TO TAKE HIS PLACE.
THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE, HOW DO WE STOP SOMEBODY FROM TAKING HIS PLACE? WELL, AS I ALLUDED EARLIER WITH OUR, SO OUR PROGRAM WAS IDENTIFY, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I CAME UP WITH.
I WANTED TO IDENTIFY MY STRESSOR, WHICH WAS VIOLENT CRIME IN FIRST DISTRICT.
AND THEN WHAT WE GONNA DO, AND ONCE WE GOT IT MITIGATED TO A, TO A DESIRABLE LEVEL, WHICH ONE MURDER SINCE, UH, JUNE IS NOT DESIRABLE, BUT WE'RE NOT LEAVING.
WE'RE GONNA STAY IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GONNA GET OUR OFFICERS ON THE STREETS.
YOU'RE GONNA SEE 'EM, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A DIFFERENCE IN APPEARANCE.
YOU'RE GONNA SEE LOYALTY, BUT THEY'RE GONNA STAY IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE WANT TO BE LIKE THE MAYTAG REPAIR MAN.
WE WANNA SEE THE MAN RUNNING AROUND WITH NOTHING TO DO.
IF THERE'S A PROBLEM, WE'RE THERE.
YOU CAN HANDLE IT WITH COMPASSION, YOU CAN HANDLE IT WITH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW WE DESIRE.
IF IT'S GROSS, NEGLIGENT TO WHERE YOU HAVE TO HOLD SOMEBODY ACCOUNTABLE, WELL, WE GOT A JOB TO DO AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO IT, BUT WE'RE GONNA TARGET THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CAUSING HARM.
AND THE REMAINDER, WE'RE TALKING TWO OR 3% OF OUR SOCIETY IS OUR PROBLEM.
VERY SMALL PORTION, BUT WE'RE NOT LEAVING.
I AM INTERESTED TO KNOW ABOUT, UM, HOW YOU WILL, UH, DETERMINE AND FULFILL STAFFING NEEDS.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD EFFICIENCY, UH, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE LEAVE.
UM, AND SO THERE'S LIKELY TO BE A LOT OF NEEDS.
HOW WILL YOU DETERMINE WHAT THE MOST CRITICAL NEEDS ARE AND AND HOW DO YOU PLAN TO FULFILL THAT? CERTAINLY, WITHOUT THE MEN AND WOMEN, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
AND I DO KNOW THAT THERE'S A POTENTIAL OF ANOTHER EXIT, UH, DEPENDING ON THE CHIEF.
I'M NOT SAYING I'M THE SAVIOR.
UH, BY NO MEANS AM I A SAVIOR, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE'S INDIVIDUALS WHO'S WAITING TO LEAVE EARLY IN THE EVENT THAT THE WRONG DECISION IS MADE.
IT'S BEEN STATED MULTIPLE TIMES.
WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS I'M GONNA GIVE THEM A SENSE OF PURPOSE, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA RE-IDENTIFY OURSELVES AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS.
WE'RE GONNA CREATE A DE DESIRABLE WORKSPACE THAT NO ONE WANTS TO LEAVE, AND THAT ATTRACTS THOSE WHO HAVE LEFT TO COME BACK.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE US PROFESSIONALS.
WE'RE GONNA BE, WHEN I WORKED HERE, WE'VE NEVER BEEN THE HIGHEST PAID.
NOT THAT I CAN RECALL, BUT WE ALWAYS HAD A FAMILY AND WE ALWAYS MADE ENDS MEET BECAUSE WE WORKED TOGETHER.
AND IT WAS NEVER A JOB BECAUSE WE LOVED IT.
IT WAS OUR PASSION, IT WAS OUR DESIRE.
SO IT, HONEST, 31 YEARS, 26 YEARS WENT BY VERY QUICK, VERY QUICK.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
WE'RE GONNA CHANGE THE BRAND OF OUR DEPARTMENT TO A DESIRABLE FOR PROFESSIONAL ENTITY THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO WORK FOR, AND THEN HOPEFULLY WORK WITH THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR TO GET 'EM ADEQUATE PAY.
AND HOW WILL YOU DETERMINE THE STAFFING? WHERE, WHERE IT MAY BE? WELL, OUR STAFFING NEEDS WILL BE DETERMINED UPON OUR STRESSORS.
WHAT IS OUR GREATEST PROBLEM? SO WHEREVER WE IDENTIFY A PROBLEM, WE'RE GONNA DO THOSE STAFFING NEEDS.
AND WITHIN MY FIRST A HUNDRED DAYS, I'M GONNA ADDRESS VIOLENT CRIME.
THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT STRESSOR.
I DO KNOW WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH LITTER, AND IT MAY BE MINUSCULE IN SOME PEOPLE'S MINDS.
OUR CITY, YOU KNOW, OUR PERCEPTION OF WHAT WE LOOK AT, WHAT WE DRIVE, LIKE THAT'S WHO WE ARE.
I KNOW AS A MOTORCYCLE OFFICER, WHEN I POLISHED MY BIKE, I DID A BETTER JOB.
I WAS MORE PLEASANT TO BE AROUND.
I WANT, I WANT TO HELP KEEPING TIGERTOWN, I WANT TO HELP THEM WITH THE VOLUNTEER WORK THEY'VE DONE.
I WANT TO IDENTIFY WHERE WE DEFICIENT AND DEDICATE RESOURCES.
AND AS WE GET MORE OFFICERS, START PUTTING 'EM IN THE GAPS IN ORDER TO WHERE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
BUT THE FIRST THING WE GOTTA DO IS MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VIOLENT CRIME.
UH, THIS IS FROM THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SECTION.
UH, WOULD YOU, AND IF YOU WOULD, HOW WOULD YOU, UM, COLLABORATE WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS THAT ARE ADDRESSING THE CAUSES OF CRIME, SUCH AS ADDICTION? ABSOLUTELY.
UNEMPLOYMENT, POVERTY, AND SO FORTH.
YEAH, CERTAINLY THAT'S A LOT OF OUR PROBLEMS IS INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LOST.
SO, UM, WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE'D REACH OUT TO 'EM, WE'D ACTUALLY TRY TO GET MENTORS FOR 'EM, LINK 'EM UP WITH PROGRAMS AND STAY IN CONTACT.
I THINK THE COMMUNICATION IS THE KEY PART.
I THINK IF WE REACH OUT AND WE ESTABLISH LINES OF COMMUNICATION, WE CAN IDENTIFY WHERE THE DEFICIENCIES ARE WHEN WE WORK WITH 'EM.
I KNOW THAT I'M LESS PRONE TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE GENTLEMAN THAT I BROKE BREAD WITH OR HAD A CONVERSATION THAN I WILL IF THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEPARATE.
AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS MOVE THE
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DEPARTMENT FROM US AGAINST THEM AND TO US.AND WE, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE A BREAKDOWN.
SO WE CAN DEDICATE OUR RESOURCES AND GET OUR OFFICERS.
AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU, I'VE STATED IT EARLIER, THOSE LINE LEVEL GUYS AND GALS ARE THE SOLUTION.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO NEED MOTIVATION.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO NEED TO, THE COMMANDERS GET, GET THE PRAISE, BUT IF IT ISN'T FOR THEIR ACTIONS, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA FAIL.
SO WE GET THOSE GUYS AND GALS INVOLVED.
I, YOU TALKED TO IT EARLIER, THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN, UH, SOME OF OUR MOST HARDEST HIT REGIONS IN THIS TOWN, UH, AROUND GUN VIOLENCE, UH, AND, UH, JUST BEING IN THAT COMMUNITY, YOU'VE BEEN A BIG PART OF, UH, CHANGING THAT AND YOU DIDN'T DO IT BASHING HEADS.
AND I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS THAT YOU WORK WITH, AND I'VE SAID SOME OF THOSE MEETINGS YOU WERE IN, AND THEN THINK ABOUT AS LONG AS YOU'VE BEEN AN OFFICER AND A HARDENED OFFICER, I KNOW IT HAD TO TAKE SOME SHIFT IN YOU TO, TO EVEN WANT TO DO THAT.
UM, AND JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT I APPRECIATE THE WAY YOU SERVED OUR COMMUNITY AND GOOD LUCK, SIR.
AND, AND LOOK, I'M BLESSED, AS YOU'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH MISS JOSIE, BUT THE, THE, OUR DEPARTMENT IS VERY TALENTED.
PEOPLE WHO CARE AND LOVE THIS.
I HAD HAD A VERY YOUNG AGE BECAUSE MY DAD WAS A MOTORCYCLE COP.
I SAW HIM DRIVE HOME AND IT WAS SIX, SEVEN YEARS OLD.
BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR OFFICERS WANT THE BEST FOR THIS CITY.
AND THE ONES WHO DON'T, WE DON'T LIKE 'EM AS MUCH AS YOU DO.
AND WE WILL GET RID OF 'EM RAPIDLY.
AND MS. JOSIE IS, I'M GRATEFUL FOR HER TO COME INTO MY LIFE BECAUSE SHE SAT DOWN AND WE SAT, ALTHOUGH I LIVED ON A DIFFERENT SIDE OF THE PARISH, WE'RE, UH, WE HAVE THE SAME LIKES AND DISLIKES.
WE WANT OUR KIDS TO PLAY, WE WANT OUR GRANDKIDS TO PLAY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
WELL, I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE HAD A LONG DRAWN OUT PROCESS.
IT'S BEEN LONG FOR US AS WELL, BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND, AND CERTAINLY YOUR ATTENTION FOR THIS LONG AND, AND, AND IT SHOWS WITH THE, UM, WITH THE BOARD.
AND, AND I WANNA THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF ME AND, AND THE OTHER CANDIDATES.
I WANNA, I WANNA TALK TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I WANNA THANK 'EM FOR THEIR CALLS TODAY FOR THEIR CALLS AND FOR THE EMAILS, TEXTS, REACHING OUT.
UM, AND THOSE JUST IN PASSING, I KNOW EVERYBODY COULDN'T CALL TODAY OR DIDN'T WANT TO, BUT THE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT IS THE REASON WHY I'M DOING THIS.
IN ADDITION, UM, THE COMMUNITY, WE'VE HEARD YOU, WE KNOW WHAT YOU NEED.
WE KNOW WHAT YOU WANT, AND WE KNOW WHAT YOU DESIRE.
AND WE, WE, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT.
ALLIE WASN'T ON THE WRONG STREET, AND DEVIN WASN'T IN THE WRONG BED.
AND NOT TO SAY THAT IT COULD BE TOTALLY DISSOLVED BECAUSE VIOLENCE IS, IS, IS ALL OVER OUR NATION, BUT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION AND WE COULD DO A BETTER JOB AND WE WILL DO A BETTER JOB.
AND I'M SURE THAT THE OTHER CANDIDATES FEEL THE SAME WAY.
THAT WE NEED TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY WITH DIGNITY AND HONOR.
WE NEED TO GO OUT AND PROVIDE THE SERVICE THAT THESE CITIZENS DESERVE, AND WE FAILED THEM, AND WE'LL MAKE IT RIGHT.
NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM BRIAN STRONG.
I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE POLICE CHIEF REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO CONDUCT THIS INTERVIEW, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO MAKE AN OPENING STATEMENT, AND THEN EACH CAN, EACH COMMITTEE MEMBER WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK UP TO TWO QUESTIONS.
WE, WE MAY NOT ASK TWO, BUT WE CAN ASK UP TO TWO QUESTIONS.
YOU'LL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO ANSWER EACH QUESTION, AND THEN AFTER THE SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS, YOU'LL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO MAKE A CLOSING STATEMENT.
SO LET US KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY.
TO THE COMMITTEE, THOSE WHO ARE IN ATTENDANCE, AND THOSE WHO MAY BE WATCHING ONLINE.
FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR YOUR SERVICE AND PARTICIPATING IN CHOOSING OUR
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CITY'S NEXT POLICE CHIEF.I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO STAND BEFORE YOU TO HAVE AN OPEN AND HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
MY NAME IS DETECTIVE BRIAN STRONG.
I AM A 2002 GRADUATE OF LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY, AND I'M A 14 YEAR VETERAN OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I CURRENTLY HOLD THE RANK OF CORPORAL, AND I'M CURRENTLY ASSIGNED TO THE EAST BATON ROUGE VIOLENT CRIMES UNIT.
AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE BRPD MAJOR ASSAULTS DIVISION.
I'VE BEEN A DETECTIVE FOR OVER 10 YEARS IN THE MAJOR ASSAULT DIVISION, I INVESTIGATE A VARIETY OF NONVIOLENT, EXCUSE ME, NON-FATAL VIOLENT CRIMES IN THE CITY LIMITS OF BATON ROUGE.
THESE CRIMES INCLUDE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, NON-FATAL SHOOTINGS, STABBINGS AND KIDNAPPING CASES.
PRIOR TO MY SERVICE IN A VIOLENT CRIMES UNIT, I'VE SERVED BOTH IN A FINANCIAL CRIMES DIVISION AND UNIFORM PATROL DIVISIONS.
I'M CURRENTLY A MEMBER OF THE BRPD, PEER SUPPORT TEAM, BRPD AWARDS COMMITTEE, THE EAST BATON ROUGE GROUP VIOLENCE INITIATIVE TEAM.
AND I'VE SERVED ON THE CHIEF'S PROMOTIONAL BOARD.
I AM THE CURRENT STATE PRESIDENT OF THE MAGNOLIA STATE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, WHERE I'M, WHERE I'M ONE OF THE YOUNGEST PRESIDENTS IN THE ORGANIZATION'S HISTORY.
I BECAME A POLICE OFFICER IN 2009 BECAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I THRIVE EVERY DAY TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT, AND I'VE DEDICATED MY LIFE, THIS SERVICE TO THE SERVICE OF THIS COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE THAT I POSSESS THE LEADERSHIP AND THE MANAGEMENT SKILLS NECESSARY TO BECOME THE NEXT CHIEF OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.
I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY CAN TRUST THAT I WILL CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT 21ST CENTURY POLICING AND REFORM IN THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I ALSO JUST WANNA MAKE A NOTE TO THE COMMITTEE AND TO THE PUBLIC THAT I HAVE SIGNED A WAIVER TO DISCUSS ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMITTEE MIGHT HAVE ABOUT MY PERSONNEL FILE.
AND WITH THAT, I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND I'M OPENING ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE TWO BIGGEST OBSTACLES FACING BRPD AND HOW WOULD YOU OVERCOME BOTH OF THOSE OBSTACLES? UH, THE FIRST OBSTACLE IS, IS, IS OUR STAFFING NUMBERS.
WE HAVE THE NEXT CHIEF HAS TO MAKE RECRUITING A PRIORITY.
WE ARE SEVERELY SHORT STAFFED IN THE DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT PRIORITY.
AND IF YOU MAKE THAT A PRIORITY, THAT MEANS BUDGETING WHERE THE MONEY GOES, HAS TO BE GEARED TOWARDS OUR RECRUITING EFFORTS.
UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT MONEY'S ALLOCATED FOR PAY FOR OFFICERS.
UM, I KNOW WE ARE VERY THANKFUL FOR THE 13% RANGE THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN, BUT WE HAVE TO DO MORE.
IF YOU HAVE A SPORTS ANALOGY, WE ARE KIND OF LIKE, UH, IN, IN, IN THE POOL, IN COLLEGE, IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL.
I CONSTANTLY AM BEING RECRUITED FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITH THE, THE EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE.
AND WHEN THEY RECRUIT ME, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THEY PUT ON THERE IS HOW MUCH MONEY I BE MAKING RIGHT NOW IF I LEAVE BRPD AND GO TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HAVE TO MAKE RECRUITING, UH, DEFINITELY A PRIORITY AND ALSO THE PAY NEEDS TO BE A PRIORITY AS WELL FOR OUR OFFICERS.
HOW YOU DOING MR. STRONG? I'M DOING WELL.
SO THIS QUESTION IS FROM CATEGORY 10, OFFICER WELLNESS AND WELLBEING.
YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE PEER SUPPORT TEAM, WHICH WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AND SO I WAS WONDERING WHAT THAT IS.
HOW WILL YOU ADDRESS AS CHIEF THE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT OFFICERS MAY FACE AND ENSURE THEIR HOLISTIC WELLBEING, PARTICULARLY AFTER DISTRESSING INCIDENTS? YEAH, SO THE PEER SUPPORT TEAM, UM, ESTABLISHED A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND IT'S MADE UP OF OFFICERS.
MOST OF THE OFFICERS THERE HAVE BEEN THROUGH SOME KIND OF CRITICAL INCIDENT AND THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO HELP OTHER OFFICERS.
UM, SINCE THAT'S BEEN AN INSTITUTED, I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN A GREAT SUCCESS FOR OUR OFFICERS.
OFFICERS WHO NEED HELP, THEY'RE ABLE TO COME TO US.
UM, IF THEY'RE, THEY GET TO PICK THE OFFICER THEY WANT TO, WE HAVE A LIST OF ALL THE OFFICERS THAT ARE ON THAT TEAM AND IF THEY, IF THERE'S A CERTAIN OFFICER THEY TRUST, THEY CAN COME TO THAT OFFICER, TELL THE OFFICER THAT THEY HAVE ISSUES WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND WE'RE ABLE TO GET THEM THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
UM, WITH MENTAL HEALTH, WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE, HAVE, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE WELL PHYSICALLY.
UM, OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, WE RECENTLY INSTALLED A GYM ON THE FIRST FLOOR HEADQUARTERS WHERE OFFICERS CAN ALSO IMPROVE WITH THEIR HEALTH.
AND IF I AM THE NEXT CHIEF, I'LL MAKE SURE OUR TRAINING DIVISION THAT WE JUST LIKE WE HAD BOOTCAMP, UH, WHEN WE WERE IN THEIR ACADEMY, WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE DO THAT NOW FOR OFFICERS NOW THAT THEY HAVE CERTAIN TIMES, YOU KNOW, IN THE MORNING, EVENING, AND NIGHT.
SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE CAN REACH ALL OFFICERS THAT IF THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY GET THEMSELVES TOGETHER PHYSICALLY AS WELL AS MENTALLY THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
BUT THE PEER SUPPORT TEAM HAS BEEN A GREAT INITIATIVE.
WE MAKE SURE THAT WE REACH OUT TO OUR OFFICERS.
EVERY IN-SERVICE THAT I GO TO A MEMBER IS THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN TELL OUR STORY AND MAKE SURE THAT ANYBODY NEEDS HELP.
THAT IF THEY'RE IN THAT IN-SERVICE, WE'LL TAKE THEM AWAY
[01:15:01]
AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET THEM THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.SO PEER SUPPORT HAS BEEN A GREAT, UM, INSTITUTION THAT WE'VE, UH, TAKEN UP ON THE DEPARTMENT.
SO, QUICK FOLLOW UP ON THAT ONE.
DO YOU THINK THAT KIND OF ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES FOR OFFICERS WOULD INCLUDE EXPANDING THE SUPPORT TEAM OR LIKE EVEN LOOKING TO EXTERNAL HEALTH OR HELP RESOURCES AND INTERNAL COUNSELORS? SOMETHING LIKE THAT? BOTH.
WHAT IS YOUR STANCE ON THE DEPLOYMENT OF SWAT OF, OF SWAT TEAMS AND THE EXECUTION OF NO KNOCK WARRANTS? OKAY.
UM, I'M KIND OF FAMILIAR WITH IT BECAUSE I AM IN THE MAJOR ASSAULT DIVISION.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE, I HAVE A SUSPECT AND I NEED THE ASSISTANCE OF SWAT TO DO A SEARCH WARRANT ONE TO MAYBE APPREHEND THAT SUBJECT OR TO OBTAIN EVIDENCE FOR AN INVESTIGATION THAT WE HAVE NO KNOCK WARRANTS IN OUR, IN OUR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN, WE HAVEN'T USED THOSE FOR YEARS.
AND I, THAT'S A GOOD DECISION THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT ANY MISTAKES.
IF ONE PERSON GETS HURT BECAUSE WE DO A NO-KNOCK WARRANT AND SOMEBODY IS EITHER HURT OR DIED, THAT THAT'S ONE MISTAKE TOO MANY.
SO I'M VERY, UM, GLAD, I GUESS.
'CAUSE WE HAD THE, WE HAD THE TECHNOLOGY, NOW WE USE DRONES.
OUR SWAT TEAM, THEY HAVE A, I DON'T WANT TO PUT THAT OUT IN THE PUBLIC, BUT THERE'S THINGS THAT THEY DO THAT THEY CAN GET, UM, THAT PERSON OUTTA THE HOUSE.
WE HAVE NEGOTIATORS, SO, YEAH.
UM, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT IT'S BEEN A GOOD IDEA TO STOP THE NO-KNOCK WARRANTS FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
MR. STRONG, HOW YOU DOING? I'M DOING WELL, SIR.
UH, UH, UH, ONE OF THE CANDIDATES MENTION, UH, THAT, UH, HE'S HEARD WORD THAT, UH, IF A PARTICULAR CANDIDATE IS CHOSEN AS CHIEF, THERE WOULD BE SOME TYPE OF EXODUS.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THE EXODUS DOES NOT HAPPEN AND THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT RETAINS THE GOOD OFFICERS THAT HE HAS, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S SOME BAD ONES THAT NEED TO GO? WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO ENSURE IF THERE'S NO MASS EXODUS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
UM, THE FIRST THING THAT I WOULD DO IS I WOULD MEET WITH EACH AND EVERY OFFICER IN THE DEPARTMENT.
AND IN THAT MEETING, I MAKE SURE THAT IT IS VERY CLEAR OF WHAT MY STANCES ARE, WHAT MY EXPECTATIONS ARE, AND A CLEAR EXPECTATION OF WHAT THE DEPARTMENT WILL BE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT OUR GOALS ARE.
IF AFTER THAT CONVERSATION, THEY WANT TO LEAVE, BECAUSE I HOPE IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF THE PERSON.
I HOPE THAT WE HAVE THE SAME GOAL OF MAKING BATON ROUGE BETTER, THAT WE HAVE THE SAME GOAL OF MAKING THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH WE, I BELIEVE WE ARE THE PREMIER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
BUT AFTER THAT, IF THEY DON'T HAVE THAT SHARED GOAL, THEN MAYBE THEY WILL NEED TO LOOK AT ANOTHER PLACE FOR EMPLOYMENT.
THANK YOU MR. STRONG, WHAT DOES YOUR FIRST 100 DAYS LOOK LIKE? RANK THE TOP FIVE PRIORITIES IN YOUR PROCESS FOR ACCOMPLISHING THEM.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
UH, FIRST THING THAT I'M GONNA DO IS I'M GONNA HAVE A MEETING WITH CHIEF PAUL AND ALL THE PARTIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE CURRENT, UH, INVESTIGATIONS THAT WE HAVE.
I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M UP TO DATE ON WHAT'S GOING, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THOSE INVESTIGATIONS, WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AFTER CHIEF PAUL IS GONE.
SECONDLY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN AUDIT OF OUR STAFFING.
MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFFING LEVELS ARE WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
IF SOME PEOPLE NEED TO BE MOVED, THAT'LL BE DONE.
WE ALSO GONNA DO AN AUDIT OF THAT BUDGET TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THAT MONEY IS BEING WELL SPENT AND THAT'S GOING TO THE PROPER, UM, NEEDS OF THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, ALSO IN THAT BUDGET, WE NEED TO, FOR WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON, 'CAUSE SOME MONIES YOU ARE USED, WE USE GRANT MONIES OR WE HAVE MONEY THAT IS COMING, UH, OUT OF TAX DOLLARS.
SO I NEED TO BE, MAKE SURE THAT I'M WELL AWARE OF HOW THE BUDGET WORKS, MAKE SURE I HAVE A BUDGET PROFESSIONAL WITH ME TO REVIEW THAT WITH ME, AND IF I NEED TO MOVE IT TO ANOTHER, ANOTHER PLACE, MAKE SURE THAT I'M DOING IT IN THE CORRECT WAY.
UM, THIRD, LIKE I SAID PREVIOUSLY, I'M GONNA MEET WITH ALL THE OFFICERS.
I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THAT IT IS VERY CLEAR WHAT OUR GOAL IS.
IT'S GONNA BE EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AS A DEPARTMENT.
AND I'M GONNA MEET WITH THEM TOO TO MAKE SURE THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY WANNA HEAR.
THEY HEAR IT FROM MY MOUTH THAT THEY GET THAT ANSWER FROM THE CHIEF.
ARE THERE ANY RUMORS THAT THEY'RE HEARING, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ON THE DEPARTMENT FOUR YEARS AND RUMORS GO AND THEY'RE RAPID.
ANY RUMORS THAT THEY HAVE, ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE, THEY'RE GONNA GET THE ANSWER FROM THE CHIEF.
AND IT'S GONNA BE WITH EVERY, UM, OFFICER THAT SERVES WITH THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, FOURTH, SAME THING, BUT I'M GONNA DO IT WITH THE CITIZENS OF BATON ROUGE.
ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE, LET 'EM KNOW WHAT OUR GOALS ARE, WHAT OUR SHARED VALUES ARE, AND MAKE SURE THAT I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE THAT COMMUNITY POLICING EFFORT THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DECREASE THE CRIME IN BATON ROUGE.
AND LASTLY, I'M GONNA SIT DOWN WITH THAT RECRUITING COORDINATOR AND WE ARE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE COME UP WITH A PLAN, LIKE I SAID, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THE STAFFING ISSUES THAT WE HAVE UNDER THE DEPARTMENT.
SOMEONE NEEDS TO LOOK AT THIS.
[01:20:01]
MA'AM.UH, I AM WITH A ORGANIZATION CALLED TOGETHER BATON ROUGE, AND ONE OF, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN IS CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR KIND OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT AND HOW YOU MIGHT IMPLEMENT THAT IN YOUR ADMINISTRATION.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.
UM, I'M IN SUPPORT OF ANY, UM, ACTION, WHICH WILL INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY, LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT WE DO AND BEING FULLY TRANSPARENT.
THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT HOW THE, HOW THE PERSON'S CHOSEN.
UM, I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO MAYBE GO THROUGH A CITIZEN'S, UH, ACADEMY WITH US SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT WE DO AND MAYBE, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S AN EXPERT, UH, USE OF FORCE EXPERT ON THAT PANEL AND THAT MAYBE, UM, TO TRY TO TAKE THE POLITICS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY, THEY HAVE ALSO SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN USE OF FORCE.
OTHER THAN THAT, I HAVE NO ISSUES.
STRONG, UH, IN ANOTHER LIFETIME, MANY MOONS AGO, I WAS A MEMBER OF MAGNOLIA.
AND I JUST HAVE ONE PERSONAL QUESTION.
DO Y'ALL STILL GIVE THAT CHRISTMAS PARTY
UM, IF YOU ARE A MEMBER, I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH ONE OF MY MENTORS THAT PASSED AWAY AT COVID, SERGEANT CHARLES DOTSON.
UM, WE, WE WE'RE USING THAT AS A FUNDRAISER TO FUND A SCHOLARSHIP IN HIS NAME.
WE'RE USING IT AS A FUNDRAISER.
YOU HAVE TO BE RESILIENT IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
UM, EVEN AS A POLICE OFFICER, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SOME GOOD DAYS, BUT THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME BAD DAYS, AND THERE'S GONNA BE SOME DAYS WHERE YOU'RE GONNA QUESTION IF, IF, IF, SHOULD I GO ON? BUT YOU HAVE TO BE RESILIENT AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE DOING WHAT YOU ARE CALLED TO DO.
YOU ARE, YOU ARE DOING WHAT IS BEST FOR THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
YOU'RE DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.
EVERY DECISION THAT I MAKE IS CHIEF.
THAT IS GOING TO BE THE QUESTION THAT I ASK MYSELF.
IS THIS THE RIGHT THING FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE? AND IS THIS THE RIGHT THING FOR THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT? THANK YOU.
YOU YOU'RE WELCOME, MRS. STRONG.
WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE DETAILS OF THE BRAVE CAVE, UH, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO ENSURE THAT THAT SORT OF INCIDENT DOES NOT HAPPEN? AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.
WE HAVE TO STRENGTHEN, UM, THOSE POLICIES, ESPECIALLY ON OUR BODY CAMERAS.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE ANY, UM, INTERACTION THAT WE HAVE WITH THE PUBLIC, THAT THOSE ACTIONS ARE DOCUMENTED AND THAT MUTE BUTTON SHOULD ONLY BE ON VERY LITTLE INSTANCE THAT WE USE A MUTE BUTTON ON THOSE CAMERAS.
ALSO, EVERY PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A CAMERA SYSTEM WHERE THERE ARE NO BLIND SPOTS AND THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH STORAGE, NOT JUST, UH, 30 DAYS THAT WE CAN HAVE.
UM, WE CAN DO IT FOR OUR BODY CAMERAS AND WE HAVE STORAGE THAT'S LONG ENOUGH.
SO IF WE GET A COMPLAINT SIX MONTHS, A YEAR FROM NOW, THEN WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THOSE CAMERAS TO SEE ACTUALLY WHAT OCCURRED.
BODY CAMERAS ARE, YOU KNOW, INITIALLY WHEN THEY CAME OUT, I WAS NOT A FAN, BUT I AM A FAN OF THE BODY CAMERAS.
THEY HAVE SAVED TONS OF, I CAN TELL YOU STORIES OF OFFICERS THAT THEY HAVE SAVED AND THEY HAVE EXONERATED BECAUSE THEY HAD THEIR BODY CAMERA ON.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO INITIATIVES THAT I MAKE SURE THAT, THAT ARE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.
WE MAKE SURE WE CURRENTLY, OUR SUPERVISORS ARE SUPPOSED TO VIEW OUR BODY CAMERAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AN AUDIT AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THEIR OFFICERS ARE DOING.
I KNOW OTHERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT A CZAR TO LOOK AT EVERYBODY'S BODY CAMERAS.
I THINK THAT'S TOO MUCH FOR ONE PERSON, BUT WE WOULD HAVE SOMEBODY IF WE HAVE A STREET TEAM OR A NARCOTICS DIVISION THAT ASSIGNED TO THOSE DIVISIONS TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS, IS DONE CORRECTLY.
YEAH, YOU SPOKE WITH MR. DOTSON.
HE WAS A BELOVED FRAT BROTHER OF MINE.
AND BESIDES YOU BEING AN ALPHA MAN, HE ALWAYS SPOKE.
UH, THIS QUESTION COMES FROM THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SECTION, MR. STRONG, UH, HOW DO YOU PROPOSE TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE BLACK COMMUNITY, TO IMPROVE TRUST AND OPEN COMMUNICATION? WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE THIS AREA? WELL, FOR THOSE WHO KNOW ME, I'M IN THE COMMUNITY.
I AM, UH, I DON'T TELL ANYBODY NO.
WHEN I'M ASKED TO SPEAK, I SPEAK, I'VE SPOKEN AT SCHOOLS, I DO THE WALKS.
I'VE, WE WERE JUST AT SOUTHERN THE OTHER DAY TALKING TO THE BASKETBALL TEAM.
I'VE TALKED TO THE FOOTBALL TEAM.
UH, WE WERE OUT THERE, BUT WE GOT, WE GOTTA CONTINUE THAT.
I CAN TELL YOU FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, FROM 2016 TO NOW, WE HAVE SEEN A TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENT WITH, UH, RELATIONS BETWEEN, UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE HAVE TO EXPAND ON THAT.
THIS NEXT POLICE CHIEF HAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOES NOT FALL, BY THE WAY, WEIGHT TO FALL, BY THE WAY.
AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW THAT WE WORK FOR THE PEOPLE.
[01:25:01]
THAT'S ESPECIALLY, UM, AND THAT'S EVERYBODY.THAT'S, THAT'S EVERY, UH, NA NATION NATIONALITY.
UM, AS THE PRESIDENT OF MAGNOLIA, I WAS JUST INTERESTED IN HEARING YOUR ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION.
DO YOU SUPPORT HAVING MULTIPLE LAW ENFORCEMENT UNIONS REPRESENTING THE MEMBERS OF BRPD? UH, I HAD A FEELING THIS WAS, THIS ONE WAS GONNA COME, BUT, UH, SO FIRST OF ALL, I'M A MEMBER OF ALL THREE ORGANIZATIONS.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE BATON ROUGE UNION, UH, FOP AND MAGNOLIA STATE POLICE OFFICER ASSOCIATION.
BUT JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, MY ORGANIZATION, MAGNOLIA STATE POLICE OFFICER, WE'RE NOT A UNION.
WE ARE A NONPROFIT COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO THE BETTERMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
WE DO COMMUNITY SERVICE, BUT WE'RE NOT A UNION.
THE UNION IS THE UNION, AND THEY HAVE THE BARGAINING, UH, THEY'RE THE BARGAINING ORGANIZATION FOR THE OFFICER OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BUT AS CHIEF, UH, WHAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IS A UNION, MAGNOLIA, FOP, THEY CAN'T RUN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND LIKE I SAID, EVERY DECISION THAT I MAKE WILL BE MADE IN AN ENTRANCE IN THE INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I WILL MEET WITH THE LEADERS OF EVERY ORGANIZATION.
WE CAN TALK, I'M SURE THERE'LL BE SOME THINGS THAT WE AGREE UPON.
I'M SURE THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE DON'T, BUT WE NEED TO MEET AND HAVE A CONVERSATION AND THOSE THINGS THAT WE COME TOGETHER THAT CAN IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY, IMPROVE THE DEPARTMENT, LET'S WORK ON THOSE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA AGREE IN ON EVERYTHING, BUT THE THINGS THAT WE CAN AGREE ON, LET'S WORK ON IT, IS TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY BETTER.
MY MIKE'S BEEN ON THIS WHOLE TIME, BUT JUST ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU, MR. STRONG.
SO THIS IS FROM CATEGORY ONE, PERSONAL APPROACH IN LEADERSHIP.
AND I'M GUESSING THIS MIGHT COME INTO PLAY BEING THE THE PRESIDENT OF MAGNOLIA, BUT IF SELECTED, WHAT WILL YOU DO TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF BRP STAKEHOLDERS, OFFICERS, THE COMMUNITY, THE POLICE UNION, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, POLITICAL ACTORS, AND EVERYONE IN BETWEEN HAS FAITH IN OR UNDERSTANDS THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE OR MIGHT BE FORCED TO MAKE? THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.
UM, I THINK THAT'S JUST BEING AN EFFECTIVE LEADER AND MOST EFFECTIVE, MOST IMPORTANTLY, BEING A EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR.
WHEN WE MAKE A DECISION, THE DECISION IS MADE.
BUT IT'S GOOD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY AND ALL THOSE, UH, PARTIES THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THE CHIEF IS MAKING THE DECISION BECAUSE HE BELIEVES THAT IT'S THE BEST FOR THE DEPARTMENT, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO AS LONG AS I'M ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THAT EFFECTIVELY, THROW A PARTY, ALL THOSE PARTIES, I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S A GOOD, I, THAT'S A GOOD THING FOR EVERYBODY.
AND THAT'S HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE UNDERSTAND WHY THOSE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE.
UH, MR. STRONG, AS YOU SAID, YOU, UH, RALLY YOUNG TO BE SEEKING A POSITION OF CHIEF OF POLICE.
UH, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR LEGACY TO BE AFTER YOU'VE SERVED YOUR TENURE AS CHIEF OF POLICE? THAT I'M A CHANGE AGENT.
THAT I LEFT THE DEPARTMENT BETTER THAN IT WAS BEFORE THAT I LEFT THE DEPARTMENT.
THAT IS BETTER AFTER I LEFT THAN IT WAS WHEN I GOT HERE.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO BE MY LEGACY WHEN I'M NO LONGER A POLICE OFFICER.
UM, SO BEING, UH, THE CHIEF OF BATON ROUGE POLICE IS SORT OF LIKE BEING THE CEO OF, OF A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR CORPORATION.
YOU'VE GOT A LARGE BUDGET TO DEAL WITH, YOU'VE GOT A LARGE STAFF TO DEAL WITH, YOU'VE GOT A LARGE EQUIPMENT, WHATEVER TO DEAL WITH.
UM, GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING IN YOUR, UH, IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT, THAT HAS PREPARED YOU FOR, FOR THAT ROLE.
WELL, I'M CURRENTLY ACEO AS STATE PRESIDENT OF MAGNOLIA STATE PEACE OFFICER ASSOCIATION.
I'M THE CEO OF A STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION.
LIKE I SAID, THERE'S 12 CHAPTERS OF MY ORGANIZATION AND THERE'S HUNDREDS OF MEMBERS.
IT'S NOT JUST THE RPD HERE IN THE CAPITAL CHAPTER, WHICH WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, THERE'S BRPD MEMBERS FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, STATE POLICE.
WE HAVE MEMBERS ALL OVER THE STATE.
UM, CURRENTLY I DO DEAL WITH THE BUDGET FOR OUR ORGANIZATION AND, UH, AND, AND I'M, I'M HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT BUDGET, SO IT'S NOT A MILLION DOLLAR, UH, BUDGET, BUT I DO HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE.
AND LIKE I SAID, IF WHEN CHIEF, WE DO HAVE A BUDGET EXPERT AND I WILL RELY ON THAT PERSON AND MAKE SURE THAT WE USE THAT BUDGET AND THE MONEY WISELY.
[01:30:02]
CLOSING, CLOSING STATEMENTS.I WANT TO THANK THIS COMMITTEE AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO SHARE MY VISION OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THIS HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND TO INTERVIEW FOR THE HIGHEST POSITION IN THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
A LEADER IS SOMEONE WHO ASPIRES PASSION, MOTIVATES HIS TEAM TO ACHIEVE A SHARED GOAL.
I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE THE NECESSARY SKILLS TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE PREMIER POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA TO THE CITIZENS OF BATON ROUGE.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK AND TO MAKE THE CITY SAFE.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH LESS, BUT WE ARE DOING MORE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS CITY SAFE.
UNTIL MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, KEEP DOING YOUR WORK AND KEEP STRONG, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR YOU.
LET ME KNOW ABOUT THE PARTY, AND I WANT TO BE THE FIRST TO GIVE TO, UH, LATE CHARLES DAWSON'S FUNDRAISER.
DO YOU MIND TAKING YOUR FRIEND BROTHER OVER THERE? OH, SICK.
NEXT, WE'LL HEAR FROM CONGA KERSCH, OUR LAST CANDIDATE FOR THE EVENING.
I'M THE, UH, CHAIRMAN OF THIS POLICE CHIEF REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UH, THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO CONDUCT THIS INTERVIEW, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE HAVE THREE MINUTES TO MAKE AN OPENING STATEMENT, AND THEN EACH COMMITTEE MEMBER CAN ASK UP TO TWO QUESTIONS.
WE MAY NOT ASK TWO, BUT WE CAN ASK UP TO TWO, AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO ANSWER EACH QUESTION.
AND THEN AFTER THE SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO MAKE A CLOSING STATEMENT.
GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COMMITTEE.
TO THOSE IN ATTENDANCE AND THOSE WATCHING VIRTUALLY.
MY NAME IS KAA KIRSCH AND I'M A SERGEANT WITH THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SINCE THEN, I'VE WORKED IN UNIFORM PATROL CRIME SCENE IN THE MAJOR ASSAULTS, UM, DIVISION, COMMUNITY POLICING.
AND MY CURRENT ROLE NOW IS THE COURT LIAISON.
I HOLD A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION WITH A CONCENTRATION IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND I'M CURRENTLY SEEKING DUAL MASTER'S DEGREES IN EMERGENCY AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND HOMELAND SECURITY.
I'M A MEMBER OF DELTA SIGMA DATA SORORITY, INCORPORATED THE VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE COUNCIL EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH COUNCIL ON AGING, LOUISIANA EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ASSOCIATION, AND A VOLUNTEER WITH THE BUTTERFLY SOCIETY.
FOR SEVERAL YEARS, I HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE, IACP AND A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF BLACK LAW ENFORCEMENT EXECUTIVES.
MY MEMBERSHIP IN THESE TWO ORGANIZATIONS HAVE AFFORDED ME TO MEET WITH AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH LEADERS OF LOCAL, STATE, TRIBAL, AND FEDERAL, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
CEDRIC ALEXANDER, WHO WAS APPOINTED TO THE 21ST CENTURY ON, UM, TASK FORCE ON POLICING, AND ALSO THE HONORABLE RONALD DAVIS, THE DIRECTOR OF UNITED STATES MARSHAL SERVICE, AND FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SERVICES.
AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE ON 21ST CENTURY POLICING ALREADY, ALREADY KNOWING THAT WE CANNOT POLICE IN THE SAME WAY WE DID IN THE PAST.
SITTING THESE MEETINGS WITH THESE LEADERS, PUT THIS PER PUT IN PERSPECTIVE, THE BEST PRACTICES OUTLINED IN THE, OUTLINED IN THE SIX PILLARS OF THE REPORT.
THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I'M A PART OF, MY WORK IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE TRAININGS THAT I HAVE RECEIVED HAVE PREPARED ME TO STAND BEFORE DO TODAY TO SEEK THE POSITION OF CHIEF OF POLICE FOR THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SOUND LIKE YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN 21ST CENTURY POLICING REVIEW AND STUDY.
COULD YOU TELL US YOUR TOP THREE PILLARS AND WHY THEY'RE THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES TO YOU? I THINK THE TOP THREE WAS, MY FIRST ONE WOULD BE BUILDING TRUST AND LEGITIMACY, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT TRUST IN YOUR OFFICERS AND IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT TRUST WITH THEM SO THEY CAN WALK SIDE BY SIDE TO TACKLE THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IN CRIME AND EVERYTHING.
UM, ANOTHER ONE IS OFFICER WELLNESS.
IF YOUR OFFICER IS NOT WELL, THE WHOLE BODY IS GONNA CAUSE PROBLEMS DOWN THE ROAD THAT CAN GO OUT AND DO THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW,
[01:35:01]
NOT INTENTIONALLY, BUT BECAUSE THEIR MINDS ARE ELSEWHERE, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THE JOB TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY.AND ANOTHER THING IS COMMUNITY POLICING, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE ANSWER TO THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO BE THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
IF WE'RE NOT THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY, IT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS PROBLEMS. THANK YOU, SIR.
SO SEEN AS YOU'VE SPENT A LOT OF YOUR TIME IN THE UNIFORM PATROL DIVISION.
UH, THIS QUESTION BY THE WAY, WILL BE FROM CATEGORY 11, POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FOR CURRENT VRPD CANDIDATES.
WITH ALL THAT TIME IN THE DIVISION, HAVE YOU SEEN ANY POLICIES OR PROCEDURES THAT HAVE BEEN MODIFIED OR ELIMINATED THAT SHOULD BE BROUGHT BACK OR MAYBE RETOOLED, UH, WHETHER THEY'RE IN YOUR OWN DIVISION DEPARTMENT-WIDE, OR EVEN IN OTHER AREAS THAT YOU'RE NOT INVOLVED IN? UM, I REALLY CAN'T SAY.
UM, OVER 20 YEARS ON THE DEPARTMENT, THERE HAVE BEEN POLICY CHANGES.
I THINK THE POLICY CHANGES THAT HAVE TAKEN, BEEN PUT IN PLACE HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT TRENDS THAT ARE GOING ON ACROSS THE NATION.
MY QUESTION IS COMING FROM EXTERNAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
HOW WILL YOU INSTILL TRUST WITH THE PUBLIC REGARDING THE MOST RECENT ABUSE OF POWER BY THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT? I WOULD BUILD, I WOULD BUILD TRUST BY BEING TRANSPARENT.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE NOT TRANSPARENT WITH THE COMMUNITY, THAT'S WHEN ALL THE RUMORS COME, COME OUT AND THEY MAKE UP THEIR OWN NARRATIVE.
YOU HAVE TO GET OUT THERE, GET AHEAD OF IT, OWN UP TO IT.
IF YOU DON'T OWN UP TO IT, YOU LOST YOUR TRUST RIGHT THERE.
AND, AND HOW YOU DOING MS. HIRSCH? UH, WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU BRING TO THE TABLE THAT WOULD MAKE YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR THE CHIEF JOB? UM, I THINK THE QUALITIES I BRING TO THE TABLE IS, UM, I HAVE VISION.
I WANNA SEE THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT SUCCEED AND BE THE BEST POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE STATE AND IN THE NATION, YOU KNOW, DOING THAT, I HAVE TO LOOK, LOOK INTO THE FUTURE AND MAKE A PLAN FOR WHAT THAT MAY BE, WHETHER IT'S RESEARCH AND THE CURRENT TRENDS, WHICH SOME OF I HAVE ALREADY DONE, AND MAKING SURE THAT I'M ABLE TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE WHEN NEED TO BE, WHEN THINGS OCCUR.
THANK YOU, MS. COACH, WHAT DOES THE FIRST 100 DAYS LOOK LIKE? RANK THE TOP FIVE PRIORITIES OF YOUR PROCESS FOR ACCOMPLISHING THEM.
I WILL RANK, SAY MY FIRST 100 DAYS.
I WOULD MEET WITH THE MAYOR TO LEARN WHAT HER EXPECTATIONS ARE OF MYSELF AND THE DEPARTMENT.
ANOTHER THING I WOULD DO IS I WOULD MEET WITH MY OFFICERS BECAUSE WHENEVER THERE'S A CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION, THERE ARE SO MANY RUMORS OUT THERE, I WOULD MEET WITH THEM TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS AND DISPEL ANY RUMORS THAT MAY BE OUT THERE.
UM, I WOULD, I WOULD ASSESS THE STAFFING NEEDS.
YOU KNOW, WE, YES, WE ARE SHORTHANDED, BUT I WOULD ASSESS THOSE NEEDS AND MAKE SURE THAT ONE, SAY ONE DISTRICT IS IN TOP HEAVY WITH OFFICERS WHO WANT, WHERE ANOTHER DISTRICT IS LEFT LACKING AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ACCORDINGLY.
I WOULD, UM, HAVE A REVIEW OF OUR POLICIES, UM, LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN REVIEWED IN SEVERAL YEARS, NOT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING IS WRONG WITH THEM, THEY JUST MAY NOT NEED TO BE REVIEWED.
BUT I THINK THE POLICIES OF THE DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE REVIEWED ON A CONTINUAL BASIS AND NOT JUST WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS.
ALSO, I WOULD, UM, LOOK, UM, LOOK AT THE BUDGET BECAUSE I CAN'T RUN A DEPARTMENT IF I DON'T KNOW WHAT MONIES I HAVE TO SPEND AND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.
UM, I'M WITH AN AGENCY CALLED TOGETHER BATON ROUGE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS IMPORTANT TO US IS, UH, IMPLEMENTING CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT.
SO I'M INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT AND HOW YOU WOULD INCORPORATE THAT IN YOUR ADMINISTRATION.
UM, DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT, BUT I WOULD WELCOME IT BECAUSE SOMETIMES AS POLICE OFFICERS, WE HAVE A ONE TRACK MIND.
WE'RE LOOKING STRAIGHTFORWARD AND SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE OUTSIDE COMING IN TO GIVE YOU A NEW FRIENDSHIP PERSPECTIVE ON THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
I WOULD, YOU KNOW, HAVE THOSE PEOPLE TO COME IN.
THEY WOULD BE TRAINED, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME TYPE OF TRAINING SO THEY WOULD KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE END OR WORKINGS OF A POLICE AGENCY.
[01:40:03]
IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CRITERIA NEEDED IN THE NEW CHIEF OF POLICE FOR BATON ROUGE? UM, I THINK THEY HAVE TO BE A VISIONARY.AGAIN, YOU CAN'T BE CLOSE-MINDED.
YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY, WORK WITH YOUR OFFICERS, GET THESE NEW AND FRESH IDEAS TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE DOING THE BEST FOR YOUR OFFICERS AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.
MS. KARSH, UH, THIS IS UNDER THE, UM, UH, RECRUITMENT CATEGORY.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO ENSURE THAT THE COMPOSITION OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT MIRRORS THE COMPOSITION OF THE COMMUNITY? OKAY, CURRENTLY I AM ON THE PART-TIME RECRUITING TEAM.
SO WHEN I'M OUT AND ABOUT, I HAVE BUSINESS CARDS WITH ME.
SO WHEN I SEE SOMEONE, THEY WANNA TALK TO ME ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ASK QUESTIONS, I GIVE 'EM MY CARD, THEY CALL ME, I GIVE, HAVE THE BARCODE, UM, THE QR CODE SAVED ON MY PHONE, OR THAT TAKES YOU STRAIGHT TO THE RECRUITING DIVISION.
ALSO, SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY HAS ONE OF THE LARGE, HAS THE LARGEST CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IN THE STATE.
I'LL REACH OUT TO THEM, GO TO THEM, GO TO THE CLASSES, AND TALK TO THE STUDENTS.
I HAVE DONE IT BEFORE BECAUSE SOME OF THE STUDENTS ARE NOT INFORMED.
THEY THINK, OKAY, WHEN I GRADUATE, I'M GONNA COME TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
YOU'RE GONNA GIMME A $2,000 CAMERA.
I'M GONNA GO OUT THERE AND WORK A SCENE.
AND ONCE YOU EXPLAIN IT TO THEM, THEY HAVE A MORE UNDERSTANDING A WAY, WAY IT IS TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER.
SO THEY WON'T BE SHOCKED WHEN THEY GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
THEY'LL KNOW, HEY, I GOT A CRAWL BEFORE I WALK.
SO THIS IS THE STEPS I NEED TO TAKE TO GET TO THAT PROCESS OF BEING A CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATOR.
HOW YOU DOING, MS. KISCH? HI, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
UH, THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE ABOUT MR. KIRSCH'S, UH, IA FILE.
THERE'S A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IS THERE A SECOND? ANY OBJECTIONS? WE'LL ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
GORDON, YOU COMING TO SAY SOMETHING? JUST TO, JUST TO NOTE THAT MS. UH, MS. KIRSCH DID SAY THAT YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THE COMMITTEE SPEAKING IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
YOU OBJECT TO GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[01:53:30]
GOTTA[01:53:30]
GET BACK EARLY.I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER.
WE WILL PICK UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF, MR. COLLINS.
UH, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I I, I DO APPRECIATE YOUR HONESTY AND I'M, I'M SORRY ABOUT SOME OF YOUR EXPERIENCES.
UM, SERGEANT, MY QUESTION IS ABOUT, UM, THE POSITION AS CHIEF OF POLICE.
THIS COMES FROM THE PERSONAL APPROACH, UM, AND LEADERSHIP SECTION.
THIS POSITION IS ACEO OF A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR ORGANIZATION, WHICH OVERSEES HUNDREDS OF STAFF AND MILLIONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND MANAGES THOUSANDS OF PHYSICAL RESOURCES.
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND OR WHAT IN YOUR BACKGROUND MAKES YOU QUALIFIED TO SERVE AT THIS LEVEL? PLEASE PROVIDE SPECIFIC DETAILS.
UM, I HAVE BEEN TREASURER FOR SEVERAL YEARS OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, EVEN THOUGH IT HASN'T BEEN MULTIMILLION DOLLARS, BUT ALSO AS VICE CHAIR OF THE, UM, BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE, UM, COUNCIL ON AGING.
UM, OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DOES DO OUR, UM, BUDGET AND SHE OUTLINES EVERYTHING.
WE GO OVER IT, WE ASK QUESTIONS AND WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE, UM, MONIES COMING IN, WHETHER IT'S TAXPAYER DOLLARS OR GRANTS AND HOW IT'S BEEN SPENT.
SO I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REVIEW THOSE BUDGETS.
[01:55:01]
ONE MORE QUESTION.SINCE BEING IN UNIFORM PATROL, Y'ALL ARE THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, AND THIS IS THE QUESTION FROM CATEGORY 10.
OFFICER WELLNESS AND WELLBEING.
UH, HOW WOULD YOU AS CHIEF ADDRESS THE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT OFFICERS MAY FACE AND ENSURE THEIR HOLISTIC WELLBEING, PARTICULARLY AFTER DISTRESSING INCIDENTS AND IN PARTICULAR MOMENTS WHERE THEY MAY BE CALLED IMMEDIATELY TO ANOTHER INCIDENT? UM, WE DO HAVE A PEER SUPPORT TEAM.
UM, WE HAD AN OFFICER TO PASS AND AS WORD WAS GETTING OUT, I HAD ONE OF THE MEMBERS WHO CALLED ME TO CHECK ON ME TO SEE IF I WAS OKAY.
'CAUSE THEY KNEW I WAS CLOSE TO THIS OFFICER.
UM, I RECENTLY ATTENDED THE IACP CONFERENCE IN SAN DIEGO.
I ATTENDED OFFICER WELLNESS CLASSES AND I WAS ABLE TO BRING SOME INFORMATION BACK TO OUR PEER SUPPORT TEAM THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IMPLEMENTED BECAUSE LIKE I SAY, IT'S, IT'S ABOUT THE WHOLE OFFICER.
AND IF THEY TAKE SOME OF THAT STUFF HOME, THERE'S A, UM, FIRST RESPONDERS CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION WHERE IT ADDRESSES THE NEED OF THE CHILDREN.
BECAUSE WHEN THE OFFICER BRINGS SOMETHING HOME, IF HE BRINGS SOMETHING HOME, THAT CAN AFFECT THE FAMILY, WHICH WILL IN TURN AFFECT THEIR JOB.
I'LL ALSO LIKE TO SEE OUR PEER SUPPORT TEAM MAYBE REACH OUT TO ORGANIZATIONS OF LICENSED PROFESSIONALS TO SEE IF THEY'RE WILLING, IF THERE'S ANY ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE WHO ARE WILLING TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME AND SERVICES TO, UM, HAVE THESE SESSIONS WITH OFFICERS WHEN THESE THINGS OCCUR.
UH, MS. KSH, ONE OF THE PREVIOUS CANDIDATES INDICATED THAT HE HEARD THAT IF A CERTAIN, UH, PERSON WAS CHOSEN AS CHIEF, THAT THERE WOULD BE AN EXODUS OF QUALIFIED PERSONS LEAVING.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS HOW WOULD YOU STOP, I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU WOULD BE THAT PERSON, BUT HOW WOULD YOU STOP PERSONS THAT ARE QUALIFIED THAT NEED TO BE IN THE DEPARTMENT FROM LEAVING, GOING ELSEWHERE? LIKE I SAID, IN MY FIRST 100 DAYS, I WOULD MEET WITH THOSE OFFICERS AND ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS BECAUSE I NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
IF YOU JUST UP AND LEAVE AND NOT TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON, THE PROBLEM CAN'T BE FIXED.
SO I HAVE TO GET OUT THERE, MEET WITH MY OFFICERS, FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON, LISTEN TO THEIR CONCERNS, AND REASSURE THEM AND SELECT AS CHIEF, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR LEGACY WHEN YOU LEAVE THE POST? UM, MY LEGACY WOULD BE THAT ONE OF, UH, HARD WORK AND SERVITUDE.
I HAVE TO GET OUT THERE AND BE THE BEST LEADER FOR MY OFFICERS.
I ALSO HAVE TO BE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT THESE PROGRAMS THAT THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING THAT'S GONNA LEAVE A LASTING, LONG LASTING EFFECT ON THE COMMUNITY FOR YEARS TO COME.
OKAY, MS. KIRS, MY SECOND QUESTION IS, UM, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR STANDARDS FOR HOLDING, UM, BAD ACTING OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE, UM, WHILE PROMOTING MORALE, UH, IN THE RANKS? AND HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED, DO YOU HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE IN THIS AREA? UM, I WOULD KEEP SOME OF THE SAME POLICIES IN PLACE.
UM, SOME OF THESE BAD ACTORS WE KNOW ABOUT, BUT IT'S LOOKED, IT'S OVERLOOKED.
ONE THING THAT CAN CATCH THESE AS OUR BODY CAMERAS, SUPERVISORS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AUDITING BODY CAMERAS.
I WOULD PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A LOG TO WHERE WHEN THEY GO AND LOOK AT THESE OFFICERS BODY CAMERAS, THEY LOCK THE FILE NUMBER OF THE CALL THEY'RE ON, AND IT'LL GIVE A BRIEF SYNOPSIS.
SO IF THERE'S ANY RED FLAGS, WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE IMMEDIATELY.
GROWING UP IN A SMALL TOWN IN MISSISSIPPI, I WAS SUBJECT TO ILLEGAL AND UNFAIR POLICE PRACTICES.
I RESPECTED THE BASH, BUT I DID NOT TRUST THE POLICE UNTIL MY SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL.
WHEN I MET OFFICE, WHEN I MET SERGEANT BULLARD, HIS ACTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY CHANGED MY OUTLOOK ON POLICE.
SEVERAL YEARS AFTER MOVING TO BATON ROUGE, I REMEMBER THE WORDS OF SERGEANT BULLARD.
HE SAID, YOU HAVE TO BE THE CHANGE YOU WANNA SEE WITH THOSE WORDS.
ECHOING IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, I SAT ON MY CAREER PATH TO BECOME AN OFFICER OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
DURING MY INTERVIEW PROCESS OVER 20 YEARS AGO, ONE OF THE OFFICERS ON THE BOARD ASKED ME, WHERE DID I SEE MYSELF IN 20 YEARS? I TOLD HIM I WANTED YOUR JOB,
HE LOOKED AT ME A LITTLE CONFUSED.
IT WAS LIKE, EXCUSE ME, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT,
THE OFFICER THAT I SAID THAT TO WAS FORMER CHIEF JEFF LUFF.
OVER THE YEARS, I HAD PROBABLY WORN A UNIFORM IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD.
I SOUGHT TO CONTINUALLY IMPROVE MYSELF
[02:00:01]
AND BY INVESTING IN MYSELF BY SUBMITTING REQUESTS FOR TRAINING FOR SCHOOLS AND CONFERENCES.WHEN I WAS DENIED BECAUSE OF BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, I DID NOT LET THAT STOP ME.
I USED MY OWN TIME AND MONEY TO ATTEND THESE SCHOOLS AND TRAININGS TO, UM, SO I WOULD, UM, CONTINUE TO GROW.
I WAS DETERMINED NOT TO LET ANY OBSTACLE ABOUT MY PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH.
TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU TO SAY THAT I'M READY.
I'M READY TO LEAVE MY DEPARTMENT AND MANAGES OPERATIONS.
I'M READY TO PROMOTE POSITIVE RELATIONS BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'M ALSO READY TO LOOK JEFF LEDUFF IN THE FACE AND TELL HIM I TOLD YOU I WOULD HAVE YOURS.
GOOD LUCK, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
AT THIS TIME, IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THE INTERVIEWS? ANYONE HERE WISHING TO MAKE A COMMENT? PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
MARY JANE MARKELL, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA.
A NUMBER OF VERY DIVERSE PEOPLE HAVE COME BEFORE YOU WITH A DESIRE TO BECOME THE BATON ROUGE POLICE CHIEF.
Y'ALL HAVE SOME EXCELLENT CANDIDATES FOR CONSIDERATION.
EACH OF YOU HAVE EXPRESSED THE NEED FOR HONESTY AND TRUTHFULNESS AS A NECESSARY COMPONENT TO REGAIN THE TRUST BETWEEN THE BATON ROUGE RESIDENTS AND THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS A CITIZEN, I AGREE.
AS I PREVIOUSLY CAUTIONED YOU, SOME INFORMATION GIVEN YOU BY CANDIDATES WASN'T CORRECT.
AT LAST NIGHT'S MEETING, A CITIZEN HAD TO HAND YOU CORRECTED INFORMATION ON ONE CANDIDATE TO ENSURE THAT Y'ALL KNEW OF THE ISSUE.
NO CITIZEN SHOULD HAVE TO FACT CHECK ANY APPLICANT FOR THIS JOB.
CONSIDER CAREFULLY YOUR FIVE CHOICES.
BE WISE AND SMART ABOUT YOUR CHOICES.
PEOPLE WHO PUT THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE FIRST AND NOT FAMILY, FRIENDS OR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP, THE FUTURE OF THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE STARTS WITH THESE FIVE NAMES THAT YOU FORWARD TO THE MAYOR, CITIZENS ARE WATCHING.
IS ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE INTERVIEWS? MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE? HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NOW.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A FEW MINUTES.
UH, WE'RE GONNA BE GIVEN A VOTING SHEET.
YOU ARE TO IDENTIFY YOUR TOP FIVE CANDIDATES AND THEN BY ROLL CALL, YOU WILL ANNOUNCE WHO YOUR TOP FIVE CANDIDATES ARE.
WE WILL GIVE THIS DOCUMENTATION TO MS. CHAMBERS AND MR. BIDWELL.
THEY WILL TALLY THE INFORMATION AND THEY WILL ANNOUNCE WHO THE TOP FIVE CANDIDATES ARE GOING TO BE TO BE SENT TO THE MAYOR.
SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE A FEW MINUTES, AND AT THIS TIME THERE SHOULD BE NO DISCUSSION OF OUR VOTING SHEETS, BUT WE'RE GONNA TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO IDENTIFY OUR TOP FIVE.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, IS IT UP TO FIVE OR FIVE? IT'S UP TO FIVE.
SO WE'LL TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO DO THAT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
AND THEN, UH, AGAIN, DURING THIS TIME, WE SHOULD NOT BE DISCUSSING AND THEN WE'LL COME RIGHT BACK AND ANNOUNCE WHO THEY ARE BY ROLL CALL.
[02:06:20]
ARE WE READY? NO.BEGINNING OF THE FOURTH QUARTER.
[02:12:30]
I JUST NEED TO ROUND THE TROPHY.YOU READY? WE'LL START WITH MR. GREEN.
I WOULD NOMINATE DOUGLAS MCNEELY, MORRISE AND WALLACE.
YOU DRAKE, YOU READY? OR YOU WANT US TO COME BACK? MS. VICTORIAN DOCUMENT.
YOU'RE DOCUMENTING, RIGHT? OH, OKAY.
WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU THE SHEETS THOUGH, RIGHT? OKAY.
BUT DANTE, WE'RE GIVING YOU THESE SHEETS, RIGHT? YES.
AND, UM, IF I MESS UP HIS LAST NAME, FORGIVE ME.
I, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THOSE THAT CAME BEFORE, UH, OUR COMMITTEE TO, UM, BEFORE THEMSELVES, UH, AS PUBLIC SERVANTS.
I BRING TO YOU, UH, CLARITA DANIELS, DOUGLAS STRONG, AND WALLACE.
I HAVE CITA DANIELS, GLOVER, MORRIS AND WALLACE.
PASTOR GIBSON, DANIELS DAVIS, DOUGLAS GLOVER WALLACE.
SHARON DOUGLAS, THOMAS GLOVER.
AND JUST A WORD OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
IT WAS REALLY GOOD TO GET THIS INSIGHT ON THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND IT GAVE ME
[02:15:01]
A LOT OF HOPE AND, UM, ENCOURAGEMENT THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE DOING SOME REALLY GOOD STUFF.SO MY VOTES ARE FOR ED S DOUGLAS, TE GLOVER, KAY HINES, AND D WALLACE.
UH, DEFINITELY WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR MAKING ME A PART OF THIS PROCESS AND JUST SAY, ALL OF THESE CANDIDATES WERE REALLY, REALLY GOOD PEOPLE AND MADE THIS, UH, EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY TOUGH.
I WISH YOU COULD SEE ALL THE SCRATCHES ON THESE PAPERS, RIGHT? UM, JUST, JUST A TOUGH, TOUGH LAY.
UM, BUT MY CHOICES WILL GO AS FOLLOWS.
UH, MR. MYRON DANIELS, MISS SHANE DOUGLAS, MR. THOMAS GLOVER, MR. THOMAS MORRIS, AND MR. DAVID WALLACE.
MS. MATTHEWS, I ECHO, UM, WHAT MR. COLLINS SAID.
THIS WAS, UM, A VERY DIFFICULT, UH, DELIBERATION.
UM, HERE ARE MY CANDIDATES, LARITA DANIELS, DOUGLAS GLOVER, AND WALLACE.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE CANDIDATES FOR OFFERING THEMSELVES UP FOR SERVICE.
DIDN'T HEAR I WAS ABOUT TO DO ME.
I'LL USE MY PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR ALLOWING ME TO SKIP AND TO THANK ALL OF THE CANDIDATES.
IT'S BEEN, UH, AN HONOR TO BE HERE, ESPECIALLY AS SUCH A YOUNG PERSON, AND THEN HAVING FAMILY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TRYING TO SEE HOW THAT CAN APPLY TO BATON ROUGE AND SORT OF BALANCING THAT WITH LAW SCHOOL AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO IT'S GREAT TO BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO MY NAME'S ARE THOMAS GLOVER, KEVIN HINES, TIMOTHY HENDERSON, THOMAS MORSE, AND DAVID WALLACE.
I WANT TO THANK ALL THE CANDIDATES FOR OFFERING THEMSELVES UP FOR SERVICE.
IT HAS BEEN AN EXTREMELY THOROUGH PROCESS.
UH, THIS IS, UH, MY AND MR. GREEN SECOND TIME DOING THIS IN THE LAST SIX YEARS.
SO, UH, IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO BE INVOLVED AND ENGAGED IN THE WORK WE DO FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
BUT HERE ARE MY NAMES, UH, DMED M DANIELS, S DOUGLAS C KISCH, AND L MCNEELY.
AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA GIVE OUR SHEETS TO MR, EXCUSE ME, TO MS. CHAMBERS.
SHE'S GONNA WALK AROUND AND PICK THEM UP FROM US INDIVIDUALLY.
I'M PICK THEM UP INDIVIDUALLY.
I PUT ON MY, YOUR NAME AND DATE SHOULD BE ON THEM.
IT'S NOT YOUR SIGNATURE THOUGH.
THEY'RE GONNA TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO TALLY UP THE TOP FIVE VOTES AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA, DANTE, YOU'RE GONNA ANNOUNCE WHO THE TOP FIVE NAMES ARE GONNA BE SENT TO MAYOR BROOM.
UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A, ABOUT A FIVE MINUTE BREAK IF YOU NEED TO GO TO THE RESTROOM AND ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
YOU READY? ARE YOU READY TO ANNOUNCE THE POWER? YEAH, LET US DO IT.
I HAD A SHEET THAT I WAS USING.
WAIT, SHOULD I, THAT'S ON YOU.
UM, ARE WE GETTING TO THE END OF THIS THING? UH, SO BEFORE I ANNOUNCE THE NAMES, I WANT TO AGAIN, UM, ECHO SIMILAR SENTIMENTS.
ON BEHALF OF MAYOR, PRESIDENT BROOME, WE TRULY APPRECIATE YOU GIVING YOUR TIME, ATTENTION, TALENTS, UH, YOUR INTELLECT AND EXPERIENCE INTO THIS PROCESS.
UM, THIS IS NOT A PAID POSITION.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE MAYOR CALLED EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY AND YOU STEPPED UP TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
UH, WITH THAT, BASED ON THE, UH, INFORMATION PROVIDED, OUR TOP FIVE CANDIDATES ARE WALLACE, DOUGLAS, DANIELS, GLOVER, AND MORSE.
AGAIN, WALLACE, DOUGLAS DANIELS, GLOVER MORSE.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOVE.
THANK YOU ALL, UH, FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.