A judge has lifted the federal consent decree on the Baton Rouge police and fire departments that has been in place since 1980 to decrease discrimination against black and female applicants, Mayor Sharon Weston Broome announced this afternoon.
The order, signed Monday by U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Judge Lance Africk, says “the representation of African Americans and women” in both departments “has improved significantly with respect to the relevant labor pools.”
The announcement comes a day after Louisiana legislators signed off on giving BRPD greater latitude in how it promotes officers and now the measure goes to the governor’s desk with plans to go into effect early next year. Currently, the system for promotions relies nearly exclusively on seniority.
“We are committed to making sure our recruitment and hiring procedures are in alignment with best practices,” says Baton Rouge Police Department Chief Murphy Paul. “The consent decree, was a cloud over our department for far too long. This is another example of our efforts to become an exceptional law enforcement agency.”
The original 1980 consent decree included nearly 40 municipalities across the state, and Baton Rouge was one of the last still under it. The decree allowed for federal oversight of police and fire department hiring and promotions processes, and regular reporting on progress.
“My administration has worked hard to promote inclusive hiring practices that have helped us meet workforce demands,” says Broome in a prepared statement, adding Paul and Baton Rouge Fire Department Chief Edwin Smith “have worked tirelessly to create departments that more closely reflect the diversity of our great city, and I applaud them for this tremendous achievement.”
