Baton Rouge Police to Increase Patrol Numbers

Baton Rouge Police Chief Dewayne White says he plans to add several dozen officers to the ranks patrolling the streets of the Capital City.

White said Tuesday the move was inspired by the early success of the Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination crime-fighting project.

He says officers working with BRAVE have made more than 300 drug arrests based on information they have received from the public through community policing.

The chief tells The Advocate the department will achieve an unprecedented level of "boots on the ground" by retaining in its patrol division all 33 graduates of the recent 78th Basic Academy, and by not transferring current patrol officers into other divisions once the recruits complete field training.