Baton Rouge deputy chief applications to reopen; no exam will be required

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The applications for the Baton Rouge Police Department’s three deputy chief positions will reopen after the local civil service board agreed Tuesday with Chief Murphy Paul that applicants will not have to take an exam to qualify for the position.

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Paul told a meeting of the Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board Tuesday morning that there used to be one deputy chief's position but that it was recently divided into three positions, which are new positions with added responsibilities and requirements.

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One of the deputy chiefs will oversee administration, another will be over operation services and the third will be over field operations. This makes testing the new applicants on the old requirements inaccurate, Paul said.

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Regardless of the specific number of tests, the board members agreed that there should be a test for future hirings. Board member Rob Moruzzi said he thinks an exam separates out those who are competent leaders and deters favoritism. “I think that the civil service was created so that the good old boy system couldn’t occur,” said Moruzzi, who is also a Baton Rouge Police Department officer. “In this case, basically, all (somebody has) to be is a sergeant and they got it as long as they’re in with the chief. I think the test kind of delineates between who has the intelligence to hold that position and who doesn’t.”

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