Baton Rouge police raises approved as debate continues over pay for other workers

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The Baton Rouge Metro Council approved one of the largest pay raises in recent years for the city’s police department Wednesday night, following a tense and at times contentious debate over whether other city employees should be included.

RELATED: BRPD officers to get historic pay raise after council approval, mayor says

The vote came after weeks of discussion among council members, some of whom pushed to expand the raises beyond the Baton Rouge Police Department to include workers in the constable’s office, public works, and other city departments.

Councilwoman Carolyn Coleman argued that employees across the city, from clerical staff to sanitation workers and road crews, deserve the same consideration.

“These are the workers of this town, and I’m done seeing them being treated as the help,” Coleman said during the meeting.

Mayor Sid Edwards has said he plans to introduce a proposal in the coming days to increase pay for the rest of the city’s workforce, with a vote expected at the council’s May 13 meeting.

RELATED: Proposed raises for city workers to come, officials say

Some council members, however, expressed skepticism that the additional raises would ultimately gain enough support.

“Our concern was that this vote would pass and the others wouldn’t,” Councilman Darryl Hurst said. “We’ve seen it happen too many times on this council.”

Hurst attempted to delay the vote, saying he wanted both pay raise proposals to be considered during the same May meeting. He asked fellow council members for a show of hands to gauge support for the broader plan. Only a few members responded, prompting a tense exchange and accusations that the move could violate open meetings laws.

Councilman Rowdy Gaudet, who did not raise his hand, said both council members and the public need time to review the mayor’s forthcoming proposal before taking a position.

“I reject the notion of being asked to show a hand on something that’s coming in three weeks, when not a member of the public has had an opportunity to review that item,” Gaudet said.

Ultimately, the council moved forward with approving the police pay raises alone, with plans to revisit additional increases in the coming weeks.

Edwards said he is confident the council will support the broader proposal when it is introduced.

“My anticipation and expectation is that we’ll have the same result three weeks from now,” he said.

Constable Terrica Williams remains doubtful.

“They have been saying that they should have seven votes, but I don’t think there will be seven votes,” Williams said.

Williams said she remains hopeful that the council will ultimately approve raises for other city employees.

“I’m one that believes in God,” Williams said. “If they can go home at night and sleep knowing they didn’t do right by not just the constables, but the people in Baton Rouge, then we should rethink the people that’s sitting in those seats.”

The mayor is expected to announce details of the additional pay raise proposal during a press conference Friday. More information about the event is expected to be released Thursday.

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