Baton Rouge Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board Meeting - March 23, 2026

The Baton Rouge Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board met on March 23, 2026, at 9:00 AM (implied from "Good morning") to consider a range of personnel actions, policy changes, and a discussion on the deputy fire chief position. The board approved routine items, amended the agenda to add a disqualification and a discussion item, and passed several motions regarding examination posting periods, application forms, and a new exam for deputy fire chief.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The board approved the minutes from the February 23, 2026 meeting. Motion by Mr. Lemming, seconded by Mr. Barrow, passed without opposition.
• Personal Action Forms: Motion to approve personal action forms for the Baton Rouge Fire and Police Departments. Motion by Mr. Bayrow, seconded by Mr. Lemming, passed.
• Call for Examination – Police Communications Officer II: Motion to call for an examination in the Baton Rouge Police Department for police communications officer two. Motion by Mr. Bayrow, seconded by Mr. Lemming, passed.
• Accept Applications – Fire Chief of Special Services: Motion to accept applications for the Baton Rouge Fire Department for Chief of Special Services. Motion by Mr. Lemming, seconded by Mr. Rix, passed.
• Reject Application – Brian Moncrief: Motion to reject the application of Brian Moncrief for a position in the Baton Rouge Fire Department (applied for fire captain, which was not posted). Motion by Mr. Lemming, seconded by Mr. Ricks, passed.
• Disqualify Applicants – Police Fingerprint Technician I: Motion to disqualify three applicants from the police fingerprint technician one examination due to missing or late submissions: Clarnisha Brumfield (birth certificate not submitted), Ebony Bethley (application submitted after posting period closed), and Kevin Joseph DeLoch Jr. (application submitted after posting period closed). Motion by Mr. Barrow, seconded by Mr. Ricks, passed.
• Accept Applications – Police Fingerprint Technician I: Motion to review and accept applications for police fingerprint technician one. Motion by Mr. Barrow, seconded by Mr. Lemming, passed.
• Accept Test Results – Fire Chief of Special Services: Motion to accept test results in the Baton Rouge Fire Department for Chief of Special Services. Results: 4 individuals passed, 2 did not pass, and 1 was a no-show. Motion by Mr. Rix, seconded by Mr. Lemming, passed.
• Notification of Provisional/Substitute Appointments: The board received notification of the following provisional/substitute appointments effective February 21, 2026: Assistant Chief of Special Services Clifton Pearson placed provisionally into Chief of Special Services; Fire Services and Supply Technician Jerome Robertson placed into Assistant Chief of Special Services (substitute); Fire Captain Buford Moran placed into Fire Services and Supply Technician (substitute). No action required.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public offered comment during the public comment period.

Discussion Items

• Agenda Amendments: The board amended the agenda to add two items: (1) a motion to reject the application of Kevin Joseph DeLoch Jr. (submitted after the posting period closed) as agenda item 9, and (2) a discussion on the fire department deputy chief position as agenda item 15 (pushing the original item 15 to 16). Both amendments were moved and seconded, then passed without objection.
• Policy on Examination Posting Periods (Item 13): The board discussed amending the board's examination posting periods to align with statutory requirements (Louisiana Revised Statute 33:2492, which requires a minimum 10-day posting). Staff noted that a 20-day period had been used traditionally, but the police department requested a 10-day period to expedite processes. The fire chief requested retaining a 20-day posting period due to the department's shift schedule, which can cause 13-day calendar gaps after a single shift off, impacting employees' ability to apply. After discussion, the board voted to split the periods: 20 days for the Baton Rouge Fire Department and 10 days for the Baton Rouge Police Department. Motion by Mr. Ricks, seconded by Mr. Bayrow, passed.
• Policy on Application Forms (Item 14): The board discussed clarifying the official application forms for competitive and promotional testing. Staff noted that multiple forms were in use, creating confusion, and that some applicants were contacted to supplement incomplete applications, which caused inconsistency. The board passed two motions: (1) to instruct Ms. Harris (staff) to send a notice to both departments identifying the official application forms to be used going forward, and (2) to adopt a policy that the board will follow statutory posting requirements only and will not engage in any additional contact or follow-up with applicants. Both motions passed without opposition.
• Deputy Fire Chief Position (Item 15): The fire chief requested authorization to call for a new examination for deputy fire chief, as the current eligibility list is nearly exhausted due to retirements and a pending promotion. The chief explained that the list has two remaining members: one is serving in a substitute appointment (leaving in July), and the other is the senior man who will take the promotion before retiring. The chief also requested a waiver to allow certified district fire chiefs to be eligible for the exam, as the current list of certified assistant chiefs is limited (only one assistant chief in probationary status, who plans to retire in June/July). The board discussed the need to ensure fairness to the one assistant chief in the current class, but noted that individual would likely be retired by the time the exam is administered. The board decided to proceed with calling for the exam, with the understanding that if any issues arise, an emergency meeting could be called or the matter could be addressed at the next meeting. Motion by the chair, seconded by Mr. Lemming, passed.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda Amendments: Approved to add reject of Kevin DeLoch and discussion of deputy fire chief. (Unanimous)
• Consent Calendar Items: All 8 consent items approved unanimously (no opposition recorded).
• Posting Periods: Fire Department: 20-day posting; Police Department: 10-day posting. Motion by Mr. Ricks, seconded by Mr. Bayrow, passed without opposition.
• Application Forms: Two motions passed: (1) Notice of official forms to be sent to departments; (2) Policy to cease applicant follow-up beyond statutory requirements. Both passed without opposition.
• Deputy Fire Chief Examination: Motion to call for an examination for deputy fire chief in the Baton Rouge Fire Department, including a waiver to allow certified district fire chiefs to apply. Passed without opposition.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned by motion of the chair, seconded by Mr. Ricks, passed.