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Attorney weighs in on if recently terminated BRPD officers could get their jobs back
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BATON ROUGE - Following the termination of three Baton Rouge Police Officers, there are questions about BRPD Chief TJ Morse's timing.
In his letter detailing the reasons for the officer's termination, Morse said his decision was based on the internal investigation, and not the criminal case, which is still pending.
Morse states the internal investigation began in August.
"If somebody is indicted that's pretty easy. Here's your notice, this is why we are anticipating terminating you, you have seven days of 10 days to respond to us either in writing or in person and then they're generally terminated," attorney Jill Craft said. "So it did seem like an inordinate amount of time."
Chief Morse said the department's legal team said the decision to terminate the officers was within the law.
"While I recognize the concerns they raised with procedural and timeline issues, I have been advised by department attorneys that the issues have valid counter legal arguments and precedents which would not prohibit me in making my decision," Chief Morse said.
The procedural issues he's referring, to according to Craft, are possible violations of the Peace Officer's Bill of Rights, which states that any investigations, hearings, or disciplinary action must take place in a timely manner.
"If you were to violate an officer's rights under the Peace Officer's Bill of Rights, the law says that any disciplinary action taken is null and void," said Craft. Meaning, that if the Civil Service Board finds a violation like that, the officers could be re-instated and owed back pay.
While the officers may be able to be reinstated by the board, if after the trial they are convicted of malfeasance in office, they will no longer be able to work as law enforcement anywhere in Louisiana.
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