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Central leaders weigh in on AG's opinion about the future of law enforcement in the city
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CENTRAL — City leaders in Central are considering a partnership with the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office designed to boost law enforcement coverage.
The move comes after Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill released an official opinion saying the city can contract with the sheriff's office for services without taking away the police chief's authority.
Mayor Wade Evans said the goal is straightforward.
"To make sure we have adequate and sufficient law enforcement in our city," Evans said.
Under a potential agreement, both agencies would operate independently but share jurisdiction in Central.
"It will look very much like it does now," Evans said. "The central police department will still respond to calls, and we'll just augment that with the sheriff's office."
Murrill's opinion noted the city could reduce the police department's budget to help pay for the contract, but Evans said that is not the plan.
"The goal is not to cut the police department," he said.
Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran said he respects the process but believes the city can support a larger department of its own.
"Would I like to see a full-time police department? Yes. Can we afford a full-time police department? Yes," Corcoran said.
Corcoran said his department currently struggles to keep enough part-time officers and believes full-time positions with benefits would attract more.
"It's time. It's been more than 20 years. Baker, Zachary, they all have their own police departments," he said.
Evans said a larger, full-time department could happen down the road, but that leaders want to keep overhead costs low and the department's payroll small for now.
The mayor said he plans to bring a resolution before the city council at the next meeting to begin discussing a potential agreement with the sheriff's office.
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