Baton Rouge Police Department

Baton Rouge Police Department
Patch of the BRPD
Patch of the BRPD
BRPD Badge
BRPD Badge
AbbreviationBRPD
Agency overview
Formed1865
Employees887
Annual budget$95.8 million (2022)[1]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionBaton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
Map of Baton Rouge Police Department's jurisdiction
Size79.1 sq mi (205 km2).
Population227,071 (2021)[2]
General nature
Operational structure
Headquarters9000 Airline Hwy. Baton Rouge, LA 70815
Police Officers645
Unsworn members267
Agency executive
  • Thomas S. "TJ" Morse, Chief of Police
Facilities
Districts5
Airbases1
Website
https://www.brla.gov/2706/Police-Department

The Baton Rouge Police Department (BRPD) (French: Département de Police de Bâton Rouge) is the primary law enforcement agency in the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Chief of Police, as of March 8, 2018, was Murphy Paul.

The BRPD was formally established in 1865, just after the end of the Civil War, with the appointment of the first Chief of Police.

Police brutality and lawsuits

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The BRPD has a history of police brutality against Blacks and strained relations with the black community in Baton Rouge.[3][4] In 2016, two BRPD officers shot and killed Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old black man, while trying to detain him. The police killing lead to protests and demonstrations in Baton Rouge and elsewhere, leading to the arrests of hundreds of individuals.[5][6][7] Due to the violence and arrests that erupted at these protests, local organizing groups and the Louisiana branch of the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the Baton Route Police Department for violating the First Amendment rights of protesting individuals.[8] Less than two weeks after the killing of Alton Sterling, three BRPD officers were shot and killed by Gavin Eugene Long in a shootout.

In April 2023, Baton Rouge paid $55,000 to settle a place brutality lawsuit involving BRPD officer Troy Lawrence, Jr., the son of Deputy Chief Troy Lawrence, Sr.[9] Lawrence Jr. was also involved in two other lawsuits that Baton Rouge settled for $86,000 and $35,000, respectively, with the latter case involving a child who had his underwear searched in public.[10] Lawrence, Jr. later resigned in August 2023.[9]

In February 2024, a federal lawsuit was filed by Lakeisha Varnado and Tredonovan Raby, alleging that the BRPD violated their constitutional rights after BRPD officer Joseph Carboni strip-searched and sexually assaulted their 11-year-old son following a raid on their home in 2023.[11] The family additionally alleged Varnado herself was strip- and body-cavity-searched, and that one of her other children was put into a holding cell and beaten so hard that he was knocked out by BRPD officer Lorenzo Coleman.[11] The incidents are alleged to have taken place at the so-called "BRAVE Cave," an interrogation facility attached to a police substation informally named after the BRPD Street Crimes Unit, and which rose to national attention following separate lawsuits filed by Jeremy Lee and Ternell Brown alleging abuse by BRPD officers at the facility.[12][13] The FBI subsequently opened a civil rights investigation into the facility,[14] and as of October 2024, 10 separate lawsuits involving the "BRAVE Cave" have been filed.[15]

Rank structure

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Rank Insignia
Chief
Deputy Chief of Police
Major
Captain
Lieutenant
Sergeant
Corporal
Police Officer First Class No Insignia
Police Officer No Insignia
Trainee No Insignia

The Chief of Police is appointed by, and reports to, the Mayor. The Chief is assisted by four Deputy Chiefs who are appointed by The Chief of Police. All other police positions are promotional and based on seniority, as mandated by state civil service law.[16]

Baton Rouge Chiefs of Police

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Name Dates in Office
Joseph Sanchez 1865 to 12 Feb 1866
Eri Morley Brooks, Sr. 12 Feb 1866 to 1874
Oscar Heady Foreman 1874 to 1 Apr 1876
Robert Wiseman 1 Apr 1877 to 23 Sep 1878
Thomas Benton Hillen 1878 to 4 Apr 1887
Joshua Baker Hare 4 Apr 1887 to 15 Nov 1911
Phillip Patrick Huyck 15 Nov 1911 to 23 Apr 1914
King H. Strenzke 23 Apr 1914 to 23 Jan 1939
Joseph W. Bates 23 Jan 1939 to 21 Jul 1939
Wilbur D. Atkins 22 Jul 1939 to 2 Jan 1941
Perry M. Johnson 2 Jan 1941 to 31 May 1944
Fred C. Parker, Jr. 31 May 1944 to 31 Dec 1952
Joseph H. Green 1 Jan 1953 to 12 Apr 1954
Shirley S. Arrighi 12 Apr 1954 to 1 Mar 1961
Arthur A. Altazin 1 Mar 1961 to 7 Mar 1961
Wingate Moore White 7 Mar 1961 to 30 Sep 1964
Eddie O. Bauer, Jr. 1 Oct 1964 to 1 Jan 1965
David Keyser 1 Jan 1965 to 15 Feb 1968
Eddie O. Bauer, Jr. 15 Feb 1968 to 5 Feb 1973
Rudolph Ratcliff 5 Feb 1973 to 29 Apr 1974
Howard Kidder 29 Apr 1974 to 3 Feb 1975
Williard R. Ashford, Jr. 3 Feb 1975 to 22 Sep 1975
Howard Kidder 22 Sep 1975 to 1 Jul 1979
George L. "Johnny" Johnston 1 Jul 1979 to 2 Jan 1981
Pat Bonanno 2 Jan 1981 to 22 Jul 1985
Wayne Rogillio 22 Jul 1985 to 16 Dec 1991
Greg Phares 16 Dec 1991 to 18 Jan 2001
Pat Englade 18 Jan 2001 to 24 Feb 2005
Jeff LeDuff 24 Feb 2005 to 4 Nov 2010
Charles Mondrick 4 Nov 2010 to 31 May 2011
Dewayne White 31 May 2011 to 6 Feb 2013
Carl Dabadie, Jr. 6 Feb 2013 to 8 Mar 2018
Murphy J. Paul, Jr. 8 Mar 2018 to 21 Dec 2023
Thomas S. "TJ" Morse, Jr.[17] 21 Dec 2023 to present

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Annual Operating Budget 2022". City of Baton Rouge, Parish of East Baton Rouge.
  2. ^ "Population Estimate City of Baton Rouge 2021". census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau.
  3. ^ "Officials offer $4.5M settlement over Alton Sterling's death". ABC News. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  4. ^ DeBerry, Jarvis. "Before killing Alton Sterling, Baton Rouge police had a history of brutality complaints". NOLA.com. Archived from the original on 2021-04-26. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  5. ^ Daley, Ken. "43 of 102 arrested protesters from outside Baton Rouge, police say". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  6. ^ Hayden, Michael Edison; Caplan, David (July 10, 2016). "Protests Continue in Baton Rouge and St. Paul Following Night of Arrests". ABC News. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  7. ^ Kunzelman, Michael; Santana, Rebecca (July 11, 2016). "Baton Rouge Protests Spark Arrests". U.S. News and World Report. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  8. ^ ACLU of Louisiana (July 13, 2016). "Local groups and ACLU of Louisiana Sue Baton Rouge Police for First Amendment Violations at Alton Sterling Protest". Archived from the original on July 18, 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Controversial BRPD officer ousted amid lawsuit, internal investigation into 'Brave Cave'". WBRZ. 2023-08-28. Archived from the original on 2024-07-12. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  10. ^ "City-parish could have saved $15K in brutality lawsuit if officer had apologized". WBRZ. 2023-04-19. Archived from the original on 2023-04-22. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  11. ^ a b "INVESTIGATIVE UNIT: Strip-searching an 11-year-old? New allegation made against BRPD's Street Crimes unit". WBRZ. 2024-02-21. Archived from the original on 2024-02-23. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  12. ^ Vargas, Ramon Antonio (September 23, 2023). "Louisiana police accused of 'unconscionable' abuse in 'Brave Cave'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2024-04-09. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  13. ^ Mustian, Jim; Skene, Lea (September 22, 2023). "FBI is investigating alleged abuse in Baton Rouge police warehouse known as the 'Brave Cave'". AP News. Archived from the original on 2024-07-13. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  14. ^ "FBI launches inquiry into alleged abuse by police at Baton Rouge warehouse". The Guardian. 2023-09-23. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2024-01-10. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  15. ^ "'BRAVE Cave' fallout still happening, lawsuits stacking up". WBRZ. 2024-10-23. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  16. ^ BRPD's website Archived April 9, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ Mayor Broome Announces Next Chief for the Baton Rouge Police Department, 21 Dec 2023
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