BATON ROUGE - Days after the Baton Rouge Police Department faced criticism, including some from its former police chief, an officer that was rehired after being ousted over 20 years ago has once again separated from the department. 

Tramelle Neldare was rehired March 27, 2023, according to records, decades after he was fired following an investigation into alleged sexual harassment. Tuesday, the department told WBRZ that Neldare was no longer employed, though it was unclear whether the decision was his own or BRPD's.

Neldare tried to appeal his termination through the EBR court system and the Civil Service Board at the time of his initial termination but was denied.

Former BRPD Chief Greg Phares, who was in charge of the department at the time of Neldare's firing, says bringing him back was the wrong call.

“He should no longer be a police officer,” Phares told WBRZ. He went on to say that the public has the right to expect that a police officer won't “force someone into a sexually compromising position."

Neldare has also been placed on the Brady List, a document kept by District Attorney Hillar Moore that identifies officers with credibility concerns.

Deputy Chief Myron Daniels also told The Advocate that Neldare's $56,000 salary, which is significantly higher than the starting pay rate of $40,000, was determined by "the amount of law enforcement experience possessed by the individual applicant."

Neldare has steadfastly denied the two instances of misconduct, one in which he was accused of making sexual gestures and taunts to a 19-year-old man and another in which he was accused of improperly touching a 30-year-old woman and making lewd remarks. Neldare did acknowledge in his report on the second incident that he said something profane.