I-TEAM: New mayoral candidate slammed by police union over “Brave Cave” comments; Broome’s campaign avoids response

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - As he announced his bid to become the next mayor-president of East Baton Rouge Parish, former state lawmaker and Biden administration official Ted James zeroed in on the Brave Cave. In his comments, James took aim at what he considers lackluster efforts to curb police misconduct in Baton Rouge. He says that will change under his leadership, should voters support him in the election.

“We have a problem with making sure that there’s accountability when officers disregard the oath that they made to us. There’s an area of respect that is needed. As mayor-president, I’m going to give them all of the tools that they need to keep our communities safe. And when they disobey the law, just like anybody else, we’re going to make sure that they’re fired and that they’re prosecuted.”

Last August the WAFB I-TEAM blew the lid off the secretive warehouse known as the Brave Cave. The building was used by the now-defunct Street Crimes Unit as an interrogation site. However, through the I-Team’s reporting, officials learned that certain officers allegedly beat and illegally strip-searched people in their custody.

Not long after we first reported on the Brave Cave, current Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome took immediate action. She directed top brass at the Baton Rouge Police Department (BRPD) to permanently shut down the facility and disband the Street Crimes Unit as BRPD launched an investigation and the FBI got involved.

“This is not a time for just an annual checkup. This is time for a full body MRI to diagnose and reveal any dysfunctions or wrongdoings. I owe that to the officers of the Baton Rouge Police Department, and I owe it to every citizen in Baton Rouge,” said Broome at the time she announced the sweeping actions.

James alluded to his feelings that Broome could’ve done more, saying he would have been more direct.

“The answer to the issues at BRPD is not to shut down a unit and hope that the community forgets. The answer to me is make sure that we have accountability for those officers. I would have fired them day one. I would not have waited. I would have fired them day one,” said James.

Hours after that speech, the Baton Rouge Union of Police challenged James’ statement.

Spokesman Bill Profita spoke to the I-Team after James’ speech. Profita says firing any officer without due process cannot happen. He added that terminating an officer accused of misconduct before an investigation can be completed and other procedural steps are taken is something that no mayor, regardless of who it is, actually has the authority to do.

“Mr. James should know very, very well that no one who was there in government at that time had the authority or the ability to just fire someone immediately without due process being run,” said Profita.

Profita says making that kind of promise is simply political rhetoric.

“It’s a wonderful campaign speech. But the fact of the matter is we have to do all of these things properly and we have to follow the proper procedures,” added Profita.

James was once a political ally for mayor Broome. WAFB even uncovered video of the mayoral candidate singing Broome’s praises as she claimed victory in her first run for the seat.

Now it seems that tune may have changed.

James did not go as far as to call the mayor-president out by name in his speech. Instead he claims he is not running against anyone, but instead running for Baton Rouge itself.

“This race is not about my relationship with any individual person. This race is about my relationship with my hometown,” said James.

The WAFB I-Team reached out to the mayor’s office for a response to James’ comments. A city-parish spokesman deferred comment to Broome’s reelection campaign. Officials with the campaign informed the I-Team that they are “not responding to the Brave Cave comments.”

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