BRPD under scrutiny
It's difficult to avoid the glare of the spotlight when the world is watching. And Dabadie has struggled with the accompanying scrutiny.
The two officers involved in the shooting of Sterling are being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice. The officers have not publicly commented on the incident, but a BRPD search warrant report said that Sterling tried to reach for a gun in his pocket before one officer fired.
Asked if he thought they'd be cleared of wrongdoing, Dabadie said he had "no idea" and couldn't really comment on their actions.
What he truly takes umbrage with is the criticism of how local law enforcement handled the protesters in the aftermath of the shooting.
Initial protests after Sterling was killed were in front of the Triple S Food Mart on North Foster Drive — the site of the shooting. There wasn't much visible police presence when protesters stayed at that location. After a few days, though, the demonstrations moved to Airline Highway, near police headquarters, with some protesters saying they wanted to take their message more directly to law enforcement.
But by that time, five officers in Dallas were fatally gunned down during a peaceful protest partially in response to the Sterling shooting, putting law enforcement nationwide on edge.
It all culminated in a tense weekend when about 180 people were arrested for obstructing roadways. Officers showed up in riot gear, carrying long guns, driving armored vehicles and wearing gas masks. Videos circulated on social media of the officers' response, such as one incident at a protest in Beauregard Town when they swarmed upon a woman's private property to apprehend protesters running away.
The criticism has been as crushing as it is unfair, Dabadie said.
After the shootings of his own officers, Dabadie grew more vocal about his anger with the recent media coverage of protests. He used public appearances to both praise the bravery of the fallen officers and defend the police response to protests.
"We've been questioned for the (past couple) weeks about our militarized tactics and our militarized law enforcement," Dabadie said at a joint press conference following the officer shooting. "This is why. Because we are up against a force that is not playing by the rules."
At the burial of Officer Matthew Gerald, the first of three funerals to be held, Dabadie again took aim at the coverage.
"You know, the media has blasted us for what we do, basically portraying law enforcement as these bunch of bullies who go around and beat people up," he said at the funeral, in an emotional statement that was not part of his pre-written remarks. "Well, I want you to look around in here, and you look at the bullies. We're not bullies. We're protecting our communities. And they throw us under the bus for it, and it's wrong."
Dawn Collins, an East Baton Rouge Parish School Board member, blasted Dabadie's comments, particularly the ones he made at the initial press conference, as an unfair attempt to link local protesters with the man who killed the officers. Gavin Long, a military veteran from Missouri, specifically targeted law enforcement officers, authorities said.
"The only thing that connecting the shooting of those officers to protests does is heighten the frustration of community members. To turn around and try to tie that to peaceful protesters is egregious," said Collins, who has also been critical of the "militarized equipment" used in the protest response.
Dabadie has said he didn't blame protesters for the shooting of the officers and described Long as an outsider who traveled to Louisiana in light of the recent media attention about Sterling's death.
Dabadie said, as chief, he feels a sense of duty to defend his officers.
"I want to take care of them and make sure they're in good spirits," he said. "Because I need them to work, and this community needs them to work."
Dabadie said while he wouldn't say their response at protests was perfect, he stands behind it and would replicate it in the event that protests ramp back up. He contends the response didn't become militarized until protesters were either violent or after hours of refusing to obey the law by protesting in streets.
And he stuck to his critique of the media.
"I'm not going to say we didn't make missteps, but I don't think we were treated fairly," he said. "I don't think the whole picture was shown. Only pieces and parts were shown to make us look bad, and unfortunately anytime you make an arrest it's ugly, and anytime we use force it's ugly. But unfortunately somebody has to do it."
Dabadie said between the fallout of the shootings, the investigations and the organization of the funeral services, he hasn't had time to yet to process what's happened. He hasn't fully felt the weight of grief that he knows is inevitable, he said.
It's unclear what role Dabadie, or the outgoing Holden administration, will play in the larger debate that has continued in recent weeks about whether larger changes are needed in BRPD policies and practices. Community leaders, politicians and protesters have all called for different kinds of reform since the Sterling shooting, from changes in how BRPD investigates police use of force to exhortations for a greater emphasis on community policing.
State Rep. Ted James, who has been outspoken in his concern about the Sterling shooting and attended several protests, said he has great respect for the chief, but would like to hear some acknowledgement of the need for change.
"No doubt he's supportive of his guys, but I'd love to see him engage in different aspects of this conversation," James said. "I know he's trying to walk a delicate line and not say statements adverse to officers, but we can all say with a level of certainty that we can do better than this."
Moving forward, Dabadie said it's unclear what role the department will play in terms of repairing relationships in Baton Rouge's black community. But he said the responsibility should not fall solely to law enforcement.
"It's not just a law enforcement problem. It's an education problem. It's an economic development problem. It's a mental health problem. It's a health care problem," he said. "There are a lot of facets involved in this, and it's not just the police."
