Mayor refers to ex-chief as "master of deception"
The Mayor of Baton Rouge has fired the city's police chief and alleged following a public hearing that Dewayne White is a "master of deception."
Kip Holden took the action Monday following a hearing before a standing room only crowd in the Metro Council Chambers.
After hearing over an hour of testimony, Holden called a recess for deliberation and then returned to announce that White's employment was terminated.
Holden later told reporters that White "is the master of deception and the people of Baton Rouge deserve a lot better."
The mayor had placed White on administrative leave with pay earlier this month.
White asserted that he was fired for making unpopular changes within the department during his less than two years on the job. He said he inherited a department in which "preferential assignments had been given based on favoritism as directed by the police union."
White will now pursue an appeal with the city's Fire and Police Civil Service Board.
