Baton Rouge constable’s office gets donation of vests

BATON ROUGE, La. — The constable’s office in Louisiana’s capital is getting new bulletproof vests for its deputies. The Baton Rouge Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Foundation announced Monday that its first project would be to outfit the city’s constable’s office in vests, which all 46 officers will get in the coming weeks, The Advocate reported.

The foundation was created in October, partly in response to a spike in Baton Rouge’s homicide rate. It accepts donations, then uses the funds to support local law enforcement agencies and anti-violence initiatives.

The plan is to purchase 16 new vests with donation money, while the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office offered to donate another 30 used vests to the constable’s office, officials said. Constable Terrica Williams started working to replace outdated equipment when she took office in 2019, replacing Reginald Brown who had served since 2001. Williams said the items are worth at least $1,500 apiece. Williams, who became the first woman ever elected constable in Baton Rouge, said her deputies didn’t know what to expect when she took office. She said part of her mission is to raise the agency’s public profile, earning officers more recognition and respect. Constable deputies are POST-certified law enforcement officers, whose duties include providing security for Baton Rouge City Court, running the city jail and handling evictions, garnishments and misdemeanor warrants.