BATON ROUGE, La. – February 21, 2021 – This evening a concerning encounter between a BRPD officer and a juvenile in our community was brought to my attention. I have viewed the short snippet of video and snapshots shared via social media. The actions I viewed prompted me to contact our Chief of Police to ensure he was aware of this situation. Chief Paul has assured me the reformed system that has been implemented under our leadership will allow for a prompt, transparent review of this incident.

I want our community to know that the relationship between our community and the police is very important to me. BRPD officers have hundreds of encounters that we never hear of because they go without incident. Yet, it is incumbent on me to use my role as Mayor to bring attention to those that are questionable in order to help build public trust and ultimately encourage the best policing tactics from our officers. I am resolute that we will have a unified and safe Baton Rouge. We will solve our toughest issues together.