Sgt. John Dauthier was placed on administrative leave on Monday, June 20, 2022.
“Yesterday, for reasons unknown and undisclosed, John was put on administrative leave by BRPD,” said Dauthier’s attorney Cliff Ivey. “This came just moments after a meeting I had with some union leadership encouraging any attempt at rapprochement with the BRPD administration.”
When an officer is placed on leave, generally they are told why & what they’re accused of doing that led to opening an internal affairs investigation and placing the officer of leave. However, there is no BRPD policy that addresses the protocols. It’s more so a common courtesy to advise the officer what they’re under investigation for.
What the public may not be aware of is Dauthier & Chief Murphy Paul have been feuding the last few years. Dauthier has left no stone unturned in trying to prove his claim that Chief Paul & his current BRPD administration allegedly have “a blatantly partial doctrine of unfair targeting of certain officers.” Ivey said his client can say that from experience because he served in internal affairs under Chief Paul, the division that is responsible for investigating officers. However, Ivey said when Dauthier realized the favoritism towards specific officers and targeting others, he asked to be moved out into uniform patrol.
The alleged “disparate discipline” has been the subject of numerous investigations by Unfiltered with Kiran, including the investigation against Dauthier for how he responded to a scene.
What the public may not be aware of however is behind the scenes, a lot happened in the past week that may have led Chief Murphy Paul to place on Dauthier on administrative leave.
The watchdog group out of New Orleans, Metropolitan Crime Commission’s Rafael Goyeneche has said in the past that Murphy Paul is using his internal affairs division as a weapon against officers and a way to personally threaten them when he’s upset. Chief Paul is accused of being vindictive and the last week, would give him reason to be vindictive against Dauthier.
The First Circuit Court of Appeal ruled last week in Dauthier’s favor ordering BRPD to turn over public records, records they heavily redacted, perhaps illegally. These records are internal affairs documents Dauthier requesting trying to prove the disparate discipline rendered by Chief Paul & his current administration.
READ NOW: APPELLATE COURT FORCES BRPD TO TURN OVER PUBLIC RECORDS
Dauthier was recently elected to serve as the BRPD representative on the Municipal Fire & Police Civil Service Board. In the past week, the BRPD Police Union issued a statement against the current board chair Brandon Williams and his ability to serve the board given his arrest.
READ NOW: POLICE UNION ASKS BOARD CHAIR TO STEP DOWN AFTER HIS ARREST
Williams was arrested in Oct. 2020 accused of simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling & theft over $25,000. The cases are still pending with District Attorney Hillar Moore.
Plus, the legality of whether Williams & another board member’s appointments are within the law was pointed out by attorney Jill Craft, also last week
READ NOW: TWO CIVIL SERVICE BOARD MEMBERS APPOINTMENTS BEING QUESTIONED
June 21, 2022 is a civil service meeting where Dauthier asked to put two items on the agenda to discuss with the board. One item had to do with Chief Paul’s attorneys’ actions that caused a BRPD officer, who was legally served a subpoena to show up at the civil service meeting, to be absent.
The second item has to do with the legality of Williams’ & another board member’s appointments.
When an officer is placed on leave, they are to be at home from 8am-4pm and available to the department for any questions.
Ivey said Dauthier had to request to attend Tuesday’s civil service hearing since it falls within the 8am-4pm hours when he’s required to be at his home. Dauthier was granted permission & will be at the civil service hearing.
Perhaps the biggest reason Dauthier’s administrative leave feels vindictive is because he was not given a reason as to why he’s under investigation. As per procedure, he was stripped of his police car, gun, radio & badge while the investigation is underway, but provided no reason.
“This most likely will be another blow to working class morale at BRPD, which is already at an all time low,” said Ivey.
Thank you for the intense labor you put forth in supporting the men and women of the Baton Rouge Police Department.