Police chief says union holding back reform

Baton Rouge Police Chief Dewayne White says the Baton Rouge Union of Police has been the biggest obstacle to making needed systemic changes within the department. White says the union often fights the personnel transfers he wants to make, adding a system that “promotes on tenure” leads to marginal employees who stick around long enough to become marginal supervisors. “We need to be able to put the best and the brightest in leadership positions,” White says. He says a proposed bill in the state Legislature would allow departments in cities like Baton Rouge to promote based on merit rather than on length of service. Baton Rouge Union of Police officials could not immediately be reached for a response. White says morale was low and accountability was “nonexistent” when he was named chief on May 31 of last year, but that progress has been made since then. He says a homicide detective, possibly the department’s best, has been dedicated full-time to solving cold cases. He says the department is committed to “Operation Ceasefire,” a program said to have been successful in some cities in reducing the murder rate. The program involves rounding up the usual suspects, sitting them down with the police chief and officials from the district attorney’s office, the Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. attorney, state police, DEA, ATF and other agencies, and saying, “We know who you are, we know who you’re affiliated with, we know your connections, and when you commit a crime, we’re coming down with the full weight of the law,” as described by White, who was guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge this afternoon. —David Jacobs