BRPD chief responds to mayor's call for firing of officer
BATON ROUGE – Baton Rouge Police Department Chief Carl Dabadie responded to Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome's call for the firing a BRPD officer involved in the shooting death of Alton Sterling by stating it would be "improper" for him to "prematurely hand down discipline."
Dabadie's response was sent in a letter to Broome on May 26. Broome released in a statement one day before Dabadie's stating, "I believe they should be removed from paid administrative leave and disciplined consistent with the severity of their actions. In Officer Salamoni's case, this warrants termination."
In Dabadie's response, he states that he and the mayor have discussed on "several occasions" why any action taken during a criminal investigation is "improper."
"The Baton Rouge Police Department has always allowed due process to be completed for officers when criminal conduct is alleged. One of the possible violations of Baton Rouge Police Department policy is Violation of Law. Neither officer has been charged with violation of law to date," Dabadie's letter read.
Dabadie concludes his letter by stating that he is waiting for all evidence to be gathered and examined and urged the mayor to reconsider her position.