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Metro Council OKs $150,000 police disciplinary legal contract after weeks of debate; reporting threshold set at $75,000
Summary
After extended debate, the East Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council approved a $150,000 contract for outside legal representation to defend police disciplinary decisions, adding a requirement that the parish attorney be notified when spending reaches $75,000.
The East Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council on Dec. 10 approved a $150,000 contract to secure outside legal counsel for the Baton Rouge Police Department to represent the chief in disciplinary cases, and added a requirement that the parish attorney’s office be notified when spending hits $75,000.
The item (authorizing a contract with Bridal, Saksi and Wilson LLP) drew prolonged discussion on whether the full amount was necessary and how the council would track spending. Councilman Dunn Junior moved a substitute motion to approve the contract as requested; Councilwoman Coleman seconded the substitute, which passed. The council adopted an amendment requiring notification to the parish attorney’s office at 50% utilization (the $75,000 mark).
Police leadership defended the contract as necessary to preserve department discipline. The Police Chief said the office needs outside counsel to "have adequate legal representation" and argued that lengthy appeals by officers and union-backed litigation have driven legal costs in recent years. "I will just be in front of y'all probably not even, you know, just in a few months because we're gonna go through it pretty quickly... A $150,000, yeah, I think is where we need to be this year," the chief said during the meeting.
Council members pressed for oversight and earlier notice. Councilman Hudson suggested a middle ground on reporting thresholds and general oversight, and parish attorney Greg Rome clarified that the parish attorney’s office already receives updates from department legal billing and that staff can provide notice at whatever threshold the council sets.
A roll-call vote on the substitute motion recorded broad support; Councilwoman Harris recorded a No vote on the motion to approve as amended. The item carried and the contract will be executed with the 50% reporting requirement.
Next steps: the mayor president will execute the contract and the parish attorney’s office and the police chief were instructed to provide periodic updates on utilization and spending as the fiscal year progresses.
