Letter: BRPD still poliltically corrupt

A Baton Rouge native, I was proud to be in LSU’s very first law enforcement (bachelor of science) class that graduated in 1974. I looked forward to fulfilling a lifelong dream of being a police officer in the Baton Rouge Police Department, working there in the mid-70’s.

Woody Dumas was mayor, and, like Kip Holden, he loved to personally run the BRPD. Howard Kidder was chief and was politically smart enough to “do what he was told.”

After just a few years, I sadly realized that if I wanted to be a professional police officer, it wasn’t going to be in Baton Rouge. Reluctantly, I moved to Columbus, Ga., joined the Columbus Police Department — where politics was, and is, not a controlling factor — and retired in 2002 after 25 years, at the rank of major.

Fast forward to today, and I see politics is as bad, if not worse, than ever in Baton Rouge. Chief Dewayne White is squeezed between a whining union on one side and a micromanaging mayor on the other, hog-tied and unable to do his job. The only difference is that Chief White isn’t as good as Kidder was at “being a good little boy and doing what he is told to do” by Mayor Holden.

Your article states that Chief White was, “given a direct order by the mayor of Baton Rouge that he was not allowed to make any personnel decisions, he was not allowed to discipline any officers, transfer any officers, move any officers or do anything with respect to the officers under his command unless the Mayor’s Office approved it personally.” Boy, that’s sounds hauntingly familiar to me.

Obviously things haven’t changed much since I was there 40 years ago. Disgusting politics at its inexcusably worst. Whether King Dumas from last century, or King Holden from this century ... the same corrupt system. I’m amazed that my former neighbors and friends in Baton Rouge still put up with it.

I hated moving away from my hometown (Geaux BRHS Bulldogs, and Geaux LSU Tigers!) — I left a lot of friends behind. But leaving the Baton Rouge Police Department was the smartest career choice I ever made.

Rad Delaroderie

retired police officer

Fortson, Ga.

Comments

1) Comment by buckydee - 18/02/2013

@Lannonmac - If you equate a mayor micro-managing a police department as 'providing leadership', then Kip Holden (and Woody Dumas) would LOVE to have you as their police chief. Mayor Holden is supposed to oversee the police CHIEF, not the police DEPARTMENT. The police officers are supposed to answer to their CHIEF, not the MAYOR. These are important distinctions you apparently don't understand. No professional in their right mind would work as Chief of Police under a meddling micro-manager like Holden. I've lived in the Baton Rouge area all my long life, and the former BR police officer was telling the truth about former mayor Woody Dumas in making the point that Baton Rouge politics haven't changed in 40 years. Is telling the truth 'picking' on someone? Something tells me you REALLY like Kip Holden for whatever reason.

2) Comment by Lannonmac - 16/02/2013

I don’t quite see the problem with the police following orders from an elected official, or how Mayor Holden and Mayor Dumas were corrupt by providing leadership to those under his authority. The structure of the Baton Rouge government is designed for the Mayor to be the elected official responsible for directing and overseeing the BR police department. Failure to follow orders given by the Mayor by the police department is insubordination. Also, picking of a Mayor that has been dead over 20 years is not the best way to support one’s argument.

3) Comment by state53 - 15/02/2013

Tradewinns, a quirk in how most Louisiana cities are set up is that the Mayor is usually the Appointing Authority, even if the chief is elected. In Baton Rouge, for example, the Mayor is the Appointing Authority, and as such, has the authority to hire, fire, and discipline employees of both the fire and police departments. For many, many years, this power has been delegated to the fire and police chiefs, as it should be. Most of the cities in Louisiana that have elected chiefs are smaller, Lawrason Act municipalities. When you have elected chiefs, the very thing you want to prevent - politics in the police department - seems to be prevalent. Decisions are often made based on politics, rather than sound law enforcement practices. I think the chief should be appointed based upon a knowledge of law enforcement practices and an ability to effectively manage a complex department while showing compassion and sensitivity to all segments of the community. He should be accountable for the management of the department, but the city administrators need to stay out of his business and let him do his job. In cities that have elected chiefs, political activity prohibitions prevent a career officer from aspiring to the top job without resigning from his position.

4) Comment by phil - 14/02/2013

Interesting letter, and maybe BR is NOT the next greatest city mainly because of BR politics and BR politicians? Many of the same leaders in BR seem to have been around for a long time (including some who used to be in the LA Legislature) so maybe we have a problem with the same people being in leadership positions and having too much power?

5) Comment by tradewinns - 14/02/2013

actually holden isn't any worse than any other politician. i realize that isn't setting the bar very high, but the public is the one who sets the bar. no politician, in fact noone in any position wants to lose any power. if the c.o.p. is removed from his power, holden loses a little control over what ever it is he wants to accomplish in his term. while understanding what is going on is one thing, IMHO, police powers should never be subject to political ambitions. i recognize any/all power is political but we have to minimize that part of the job. i support having the police chief elected by the voters. while that will not remove politics from the position it will put the "boss" title back in the hands of the voters and not another political office.