Council Considers Reduction in Chief of Police Salary

    Next Tuesday Central’s City Council will vote on an ordinance to reduce the compensation of Central’s Chief of Police to $99 per month, and the reduction was requested by the Chief-elect James Salsbury.
    Because Salsbury is a retiree of the Baton Rouge Police Department, if he receives $100 or more per month from Central, his retirement pay and health benefits from his Baton Rouge Police retirement would be suspended for his term as Central’s Chief of Police.
    The Louisiana statute pertinent to this issue states that the City Council “…shall not reduce the compensation of any elected official during the term for which he is elected.”  This statute is being interpreted to mean that the Council can reduce the salary of any elected official after the election but prior to the beginning of their term in office.    If the ordinance passes, the Chief’s pay would be reduced only for the time period July 1, 2014 through December 31, 2018.