Police reform, budget amendments and changes to parking laws are all issues the Metro Council will take up at its meeting today.
Councilwoman Chauna Banks has persistently pushed police reform measures since Alton Sterling was shot and killed by two Baton Rouge police officers outside of a North Foster Drive convenience store in July. Today, Banks is bringing back a controversial proposal to require anyone hired by the Baton Rouge Police Department after the start of the year to live within the city-parish. Banks argues a residency requirement is the foundation for effective community policing, while opponents say it would hinder recruitment efforts for a department that already has difficulty adequately staffing its ranks.
Banks is also trying to establish a Baton Rouge Police Department Citizen Task Force that would periodically report to the council. She’s also proposing a 10% pay increase for officers in 2017, and wants to establish a residency incentive pay plan. Banks is also requesting funding in the 2017 budget for a consultant to help the police department develop marketing and recruitment outreach strategies to minority communities. Â
In other business, a proposal is being introduced at today’s meeting to change the city-parish parking law to reserve spaces for a Zipcar pilot program in downtown Baton Rouge. If the one-year pilot program is a success, the car sharing service could be expanded to other parts of the city such as Southern University. Zipcar is already available on the LSU campus and at Southgate Towers.
The council meets at 4 p.m. today on the ninth floor of City Hall, 222 St. Louis St. See the complete agenda.
—Alexandria Burris
