WBRZ - Baton Rouge

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• Texas launches criminal probe into plant explosion

  May 10, 2013 10:53 AM

  WACO, Texas - Texas law enforcement officials are launching a criminal investigation into last month's deadly fertilizer plant explosion. Investigators have up to now largely treated the West Fertilizer Co. blast that killed 14 people as an industrial accident. The Texas Department of Public Safety said in a Friday statement... more »

• Law enforcement tracks missing kids Play Video

  May 2, 2013 5:36 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office says tracking a missing teen's mobile device led to her recovery in Prarieville this week. Authorities say 11 kids go missing every day in Louisiana. To help find these children, law enforcement offers a number of tools to help families locate... more »

• AMBER Alert saves lives Play Video

  April 4, 2013 10:24 PM

  ZACHARY - Louisiana State Police have initiated a Level 2 Alert, after two boys were taken from their grandmother's home in Tampa, FL. There's been a second reported sighting of their truck they were last seen in Tennessee. At one point, authorities thought Chase Hakken, 2, and Cole Hakken,... more »

• Civil rights group calling for diversity Play Video

  March 22, 2013 5:31 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The NAACP is calling for more diversity in the Baton Rouge police department. The civil rights group says the makeup of the police force should directly reflect the population, and are asking for more African Americans and women to be hired to fight crime. "To ensure... more »

• BRPD recruits begin basic training Play Video

  February 18, 2013 5:14 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge Police Department welcomed a new group of recruits to basic training today. Over the next five months, the strongest and smartest of 30 men and women will graduate as law enforcement professionals. "They're pushing us in a really good direction that we... more »

• Arrests made after guns stolen from deputies' vehicles

  January 11, 2013 4:41 PM

  WALKER - Deputies arrested several people recently in connection with the theft of guns and other items from two law enforcement units in Walker. Spokesperson Lori Steele with the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office said on Jan. 7 investigators arrested Joseph Baldwin, 26, after finding his DNA at the crime... more »

• Report: US law enforcement deaths down in 2012

  December 27, 2012 9:28 AM

  WASHINGTON - A nonprofit group is reporting that the number of law enforcement officers who died while performing their duties declined this year compared to 2011. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund says 127 federal, state and local officers have died so far this year on the job.... more »

• UPDATE: Law enforcement named wrong Lanza as shooter

  December 14, 2012 3:15 PM

  WASHINGTON - A law enforcement official says the suspect in the Connecticut school shootings is 20-year-old Adam Lanza, the son of a teacher at the school where the shootings occurred. A second law enforcement official says the boy's mother, Nancy Lanza, is presumed dead. The first official says Adam Lanza's... more »

• New synthetic drug banned in Louisiana Play Video

  November 9, 2012 10:22 AM

  BATON ROUGE - State officials today banned a new synthetic drug which is blamed for at least one death in Louisiana. The compound, called 25i, was added to the Controlled Dangerous Substance Act. State health officials, lawmakers, and law enforcement made the announcement at the State Police crime lab.... more »

• La. troopers giving a hand in NJ

  November 5, 2012 10:28 AM

  TRENTON, N.J. - Eight states are lending law enforcement power to New Jersey in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. Attorney General Jeff Chiesa swore in more than 200 out-of-state troopers Monday. The troopers, who are on loan from as far away as Mississippi, will handle security checkpoints and conduct patrols... more »

• SPLC: Two suspects have ties to "sovereign citizens" Play Video

  August 17, 2012 3:55 PM

  LAPLACE - Two suspects in the deadly shooting of four sheriff's deputies in LaPlace have ties to a domestic terror movement called the "sovereign citizens", according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Terry Smith and Kyle Joekel were among seven people arrested in connection with a pair of shootings... more »

• Sheriff: All suspects in custody after deadly shootout Play Video

  August 16, 2012 3:45 PM

  LAPLACE - Law enforcement agencies rallied around the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office today after four deputies were shot in the line of duty, and two of them killed. Sheriff Mike Tregre briefed the media this afternoon about the deadly shooting, flanked by State Police Col. Mike... more »

• Livingston Parish authorities hold 'Night Out Against Crime'

  August 7, 2012 11:01 AM

  WALKER - Law enforcement agencies in Livingston Parish scheduled their annual "Night Out Against Crime" event for this evening in Walker. The annual event includes activities for families and the chance for them to interact with members from more than two dozen local, state and federal law enforcement agencies,... more »

• Feds name 4 suspects linked to Fast and Furious

  July 9, 2012 1:26 PM

  TUCSON, Ariz. - Authorities have made a rare disclosure linked to the botched gun-smuggling investigation known as Operation Fast and Furious, revealing the identities of four men accused of involvement in the shooting death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent 18 months ago. The information comes in the wake of... more »

• Authorities warn escaped teens may be dangerous Play Video

  July 4, 2012 10:39 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Law enforcement continued searching for two teens who were discovered missing from the Jetson Correctional Facility. The teens, 15-year-old Demonte Washington and 18-year-old Clarence McWilliams, were unaccounted for during a head count at 8:15 p.m. last night. Their charges range from simple burglary to carjacking, according... more »

• Law enforcement taxes on Assumption ballot

  April 13, 2012 8:35 AM

  NAPOLEONVILLE - Assumption Parish voters will cast ballots Saturday on two major tax proposals dedicated to the Assumption Parish Law Enforcement District. Proposition No. 1 calls for a 10-year, 9.53-mill property tax expected to generate $1.6 million annually, and Proposition No. 2 calls for an additional 10-year, 10-mill property tax,... more »

• LDEQ publicly listing meth-contaminated homes

  February 23, 2012 10:44 PM

  BATON ROUGE- If you're in the market for a new home, a new tool can help you make sure your dream home isn't someone else's meth home. More than three years after a new law called for creating a list of meth-contaminated houses, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality... more »

• Synthetic marijuana consequences now include liquor license suspensions Play Video

  February 13, 2012 10:16 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Fines and arrests are not the only thing on tap for businesses caught selling synthetic marijuana in Louisiana anymore. The Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control is getting involved in the crackdown on the illegal products by throwing in a new consequence that includes suspending liquor and... more »

• ATC gets involved in synthetic marijuana crackdown

  February 13, 2012 8:43 PM

  BATON ROUGE- News 2 has learned the state Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control is now joining local law enforcement agencies to help stop the illegal sale of synthetic marijuana. If a business is found to be selling the products, ATC will now suspend the liquor and tobacco license,... more »

• Groups: Repeal La. law against TED enforcement

  February 6, 2012 3:13 PM

  NEW ORLEANS, La. - Twenty-six conservation groups say Louisiana should repeal the law forbidding state wildlife agents to enforce a federal law requiring trap-doors for turtles in shrimp nets. Louisiana's law, passed in 1987, states that Louisiana won't enforce the federal law until turtle excluder devices have been thoroughly and... more »

• People in Gardere appreciate sheriff's office efforts

  September 20, 2011 5:54 PM

  BATON ROUGE- People living in Gardere say years of increased law enforcement efforts are still paying off. A man was shot and killed during a deadly confrontation Monday night on Helm Drive near Skysail. News 2 spoke with several people who say those types of incidents appear to... more »

• Technology an enemy for law enforcement when fighting child exploitation

  September 6, 2011 10:48 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Law enforcement, and those that defend accused law breakers, say technology is against their efforts in child exploitation cases. Law enforcement says new ways to mask a person's true identity online, or a way to track that down, is not only standing in their way of catching... more »

• Police, DA prosecute parents of juvenile criminals

  June 16, 2011 7:11 PM

  BATONR ROUGE - Now that kids are out of school, law enforcement agencies wants to make sure they stay out of trouble. If not, their parents could end up in trouble with them. Rickey Jones, 18, says he's the leader of a Baton Rouge gang called the "City Boyz".... more »

• First responders fill up free class on meth labs

  April 27, 2011 10:29 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A growth in meth lab busts and a cut in funding for lab clean-ups and training led dozens of first responders to a free class on meth lab awareness Wednesday. The EPA's class focused on the basics because many agencies don't even know that when it comes... more »

• Money headed to local law enforcement to solve cold cases with DNA

  March 21, 2011 10:20 PM

  BATON ROUGE- More than 20 people have been killed in Baton Rouge so far this year. And now the special unit set-up to crack cases gets extra money to work on unsolved crimes. State Police are spreading almost $250,000 in federal grant money across four parishes, about half... more »

• The Meth Effect: Part 3

  March 2, 2011 10:18 PM

  BATON ROUGE- When a meth lab is picked up, that doesn't mean it's cleaned up. It costs thousands of dollars to rid a home of chemicals used in the process, and involves ripping up carpet, gutting walls and revamping ventilation systems. But there's nothing forcing homeowners to clean it... more »

• The Meth Effect: Part 2

  March 1, 2011 10:17 PM

  You already pay for fire equipment and training for law enforcement and emergency agencies. But to keep them safe from meth labs and their hazards, you could soon be paying to clean those labs and foot the bill for extra classes on dealing with the drug. Rural parish authorities... more »

• Money for local meth lab clean-up cut from DEA budget

  February 24, 2011 10:30 PM

  NAPOLEANVILLE- Federal money to clean up hazardous meth labs has been cut. The Drug Enforcement Agency, or DEA, tells News 2, "DEA anticipates that funding for the clean-up of meth labs will be exhausted this week. Decisions about additional funding in the future rests with the United States Congress."... more »

• Law enforcement ready to keep crime out of carnival

  February 18, 2011 9:20 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Carnival season in the Capital City kicks off Saturday night and law enforcement is kicking up efforts to keep crime out of the party. Police say they'll have visual elements of protection to send a message to anyone thinking about stirring up trouble. Those will include officers... more »

• Demand for video security systems on the rise

  February 1, 2011 10:20 PM

  BATON ROUGE- More people are buying home security cameras and catching crimes on tape. It's because the cost is down, but the concern for crime is up. One company told News 2 calls for video surveillance jumped from one a week just a year ago, to two a day... more »

• Law enforcement attacking holiday crime from the sky

  December 16, 2010 5:22 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Law enforcement in the Capitol City has new airborne weapons to fight holiday crimes. The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office rolls out a surveillance tower to different popular holiday shopping areas across the parish every night. The Baton Rouge Police Department has been putting its... more »

• Some question whether crime effort is working

  October 25, 2010 5:27 PM

  Nearly two weeks after an unprecedented crime effort was announced to fight violence on the streets of Baton Rouge, some are questioning whether that announcement was a publicity stunt. It comes after a violent weekend in Baton Rouge left two people dead and four others recovering from gunshot wounds. ... more »

• Federal authorities helping with Baton Rouge search

  October 19, 2010 3:36 PM

  Local, state and federal law enforcement are spreading out from Baton Rouge in their search for an escaped kidnapper. Demond Cook is still on the loose after overpowering Catahoula Parish sheriff’s deputies and escaping his restraints this morning. Authorities say he was being taken to district court to be... more »

• Ex-law enforcement weighs in on cutting crime

  October 7, 2010 6:47 PM

  Ex-law enforcement officials said they know how to cut crime in Baton Rouge, and their plans look quite different than what officials suggested today. Greg Phares served as Baton Rouge Police Chief for ten years. In that time, he saw a significant decrease in murders, something he attributes to... more »

• State police chief promotes police cooperation

  September 23, 2010 5:20 AM

  The head of Louisiana State Police says he has made visiting law enforcement agencies throughout the state to solidify partnerships a priority for his administration. Col. Michael D. Edmonson told about 100 Leesville residents this week that what's most important to people is for Louisiana law enforcement to work together.... more »

• 'No Refusal' campaign guarantees evidence in DWI cases

  September 3, 2010 10:21 PM

  Authorities warn not to even try getting out of taking a breath test if police stop you for drunk driving this holiday weekend. The "No Refusal" campaign gives authorities an old tool to use against you in a new way. If you're arrested for impaired driving, your first stop is... more »

• Authorities use portable jail in Plaquemines Parish

  August 5, 2010 6:53 PM

  Justice in Plaquemines Parish is turning portable. News 2’s Stephanie Ryan got answers on why the oil spill forced the law to improvise. more »

• Search on for next Shreveport police chief

  June 24, 2010 7:46 AM

  Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover is interviewing 14 applicants for police chief, hoping to appoint a new chief by July 2. The mayor's office says 17 people applied after Chief Henry Whitehorn was nominated for U.S. Marshal. Only two applicants - Lake Charles Police Sgt. Mark A. Kraus and Bossier City... more »

• Deadbeat parent roundup

  June 23, 2010 9:08 AM

  Last night law enforcement rounded up parents who have missed court appearances and owe substantial amounts in past-due child support. Clyde Maten along with five other men were taken to parish prison for not paying child support. Officials say Maten alone owes $90,673.72 in child support. Officials arrested 12 people... more »

• Pineville searching for new police chief

  June 7, 2010 5:30 AM

  The Pineville Police Department is searching for a new police chief. Chief Terral Paul retired in April, and Assistant Chief Rusty Murdock has been running the department as interim chief. Murdock is one of eight candidates who applied. Five of the eight candidates work for the Pineville Police Department, and... more »

• 28 new law officers in northwest Louisiana

  April 8, 2010 6:37 AM

  The Caddo Sheriff's Regional Training Academy is graduating its largest class in about 10 years. Twenty-eight graduates will get their badges Thursday afternoon at Summer Grove Baptist Church. They include 19 new Caddo deputies and recruits from the U.S. Air Force, the DeSoto and Natchitoches parish sheriff's offices, the Office... more »

• Denham Springs Police Chief retires

  August 28, 2009 4:52 PM

  After nearly 20 years on the job, Denham Springs Police Chief Jeff Wesley is calling it quits. Today was his last day on the job. Chief Wesley says, "after nearly 30 years in law enforcement, it was just time." He tells News Two his proudest moment was when the... more »

• Law Enforcement Change in Denham Springs

  August 27, 2009 4:45 PM

  Denham Springs Police Chief Jeff Wesley is retiring after 19 years on the job. Tomorrow will be his last official day in command. Mayor Jimmy Durbin will announce an interim replacement on Saturday. He tells News Two it will be someone within the department. ... more »