BRPD Union Fires Back Over Chief Paul's Comments on Salamoni

quote:

---

The Baton Rouge police union released a statement Friday disparaging Chief Murphy Paul's recent comments on the department's settlement agreement with former officer Blane Salamoni, who was fired for his role in the 2016 fatal police shooting of Alton Sterling.

"We are both angered and saddened with the character assassination of Blane Salamoni, previous administrations, as well as past and present members of the Baton Rouge Police Department," union attorney Tommy Dewey wrote in a statement on behalf of the organization. "The members of the Baton Rouge Union of Police will continue to support Blaine Salamoni, his family, the members of the Baton Rouge Police Department and the law-abiding citizens in the Baton Rouge community."

The statement also says union membership is "thankful this appeal process has been resolved. We feel the settlement is in the best interests of Blane Salamoni, the Baton Rouge Police Department, and the Citizens of Baton Rouge."

...

Union leadership disputed Paul's statements about Salamoni's past, including that he failed to disclose a prior domestic abuse arrest on his application to the department.

"Blane Salamoni fully disclosed his past during his interview process, which resulted in a 7-0 unanimous decision to hire him," the statement says. "Blane Salamoni finished first? overall in his academy class and successfully completed the (field training officer) program."

In their statement, union leaders also mentioned instances where Salamoni helped save lives during his time as an officer, countering Paul's description of Salamoni, that included repeated incidents of aggression among his colleagues and the public.

"The members of the Baton Rouge Union of Police will continue to support Blaine Salamoni, his family, the members of the Baton Rouge Police Department and the law-abiding citizens in the Baton Rouge community," the statement says.

---