East Baton Rouge Council Debates Police vs. Broader Pay Raises

Competing proposals pit targeted BRPD hikes against broader increases for city-parish workers.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 2:50am

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A serene, cinematic painting depicting a lone police car parked on a dimly lit city street, with warm sunlight and deep shadows creating a contemplative, nostalgic mood that reflects the complex issues surrounding the city's pay raise debate.As Baton Rouge debates how to allocate pay raises, the city's police force remains a central focus in the ongoing effort to balance public safety needs with support for the wider municipal workforce.Baton Rouge Today

The East Baton Rouge Metro Council is weighing two proposals to address pay raises for city-parish employees, with debate growing over whether to focus on police or expand raises to other workers. Mayor-President Sid Edwards' plan would make the Baton Rouge Police Department the highest-paid in the state, while an alternative proposal would provide pay bumps for a wider range of city-parish workers, including some of the lowest-paid employees.

Why it matters

The council's decision will have significant implications for the city's budget, workforce morale, and public safety priorities. Supporters of the BRPD raise argue it's necessary to attract and retain officers, while proponents of the broader increases say all city-parish employees deserve fair compensation.

The details

The mayor's plan would give BRPD their biggest raise yet, while the alternative proposal would trim nearly 10% from the police raise and allocate those funds to raises of up to 20% for other city-parish workers, including some making just over $10 per hour. The alternative plan would also provide pay bumps for workers in the constable office, mail room, Department of Public Works, and finance department.

  • The Metro Council is set to vote on the proposals at its next meeting on April 22, 2026.
  • If the BRPD raise is approved, the pay increases would begin in May 2026.

The players

Sid Edwards

The Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge Parish who has proposed the plan to make BRPD the highest-paid police department in Louisiana.

Laurie Adams

A District 11 Councilwoman who supports the mayor's BRPD pay raise proposal.

Aaron Moak

A District 4 Councilman who also supports the BRPD pay bump, arguing it will help reduce crime and put more officers on the streets.

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What they’re saying

“A lot of hard work has gone into this. And I'm pleased that we're going to have this measure before the council in a couple weeks.”

— Laurie Adams, District 11 Councilwoman

“Everybody, I think, will in turn be looked at and be gotten a pay raise. But we have to break it down into departments that we can do and go forward with. And the police is the first one.”

— Aaron Moak, District 4 Councilman

What’s next

The Metro Council will vote on the competing pay raise proposals at its next meeting on April 22, 2026. If the BRPD raise is approved, the pay increases would begin in May 2026.

The takeaway

The East Baton Rouge Metro Council's decision on pay raises will have significant implications for the city's budget, workforce morale, and public safety priorities. The debate highlights the challenge of balancing targeted raises for police against broader increases for all city-parish employees.