BATON ROUGE – Baton Rouge Police Chief Carl Dabadie is leaving the helm of the Baton Rouge Police department, WBRZ Chief Investigator Chris Nakamoto has learned.

EBR Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome had been looking to hire a new chief since she was elected last year.

Dabadie submitted a letter, alerting the mayor to his decision to leave the department Monday. Monday was also scheduled to be his last day, sources said.  

In the letter, Dabadie recommends that Deputy Chief David Hamilton be named interim chief and says he wanted to develop a stronger partnership with the mayor. 

"I had hoped our relationship could have grown into a strong partnership as we have faced times this city has never seen," Dabadie said in the letter. "I feel that my retirement would be the best thing for the department and myself."

WBRZ was first to report details of the chief's decision to step down and the mayor commented on the change during a news conference on another matter.

It was during her remarks about a new tax to fund transportation needs when WBRZ.com reported the chief's decision.  At the end of the news conference, the mayor revealed she received Dabadie's letter earlier in the morning.

“It is my understanding… that Chief Dabadie has rendered a letter of retirement," the mayor said.  "As I have said consistently, Chief Dabadie is an honorable man... I will continue to say that.  He has served our city and our parish as police chief and, certainly, many people appreciate his contribution to law enforcement," the mayor continued.  

The mayor has appointed Lt. Jonny Dunnam as interim chief. Dunnam will not be applying for the permanent position, and a national search for a permanent chief will commence after the application process is opened.

WBRZ has learned high-ranking officers were notified earlier Monday morning and were in the process of letting rank and file officers know. 

Click here to read Dabadie's full resignation letter to Broome. 

Read Chief Carl Dabadie's full public statement below:

I notified Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome of my intent to retire from the Baton Rouge Police Department. I will begin to use some accrued leave and retire on October 2, 2017.

Serving as Baton Rouge Police Chief has been the honor of my lifetime and the decision to retire did not come easily. I will leave behind a department I have been honored to serve for more than 30 years, and which my father proudly served before me.

I leave behind a very special family of law enforcement officers who risk their lives every day to keep our city safe. I want them to know, above all else, it has been my honor to serve as their Chief and I am extremely proud of the work they do. I trained most of them, I know their courage and their hearts, and I owe each of them my deepest gratitude for their service.

My heartfelt thanks go to the people of Baton Rouge for their tremendous support, especially throughout the worst year we have experienced during my time as chief. When officers made the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives in the line of duty, the people of our city, parish and state stood with us as they always do. That bond will not be broken, even though some may try.

I want to express my appreciation to the members of the Metro Council who have supported both our men and women in uniform and me personally, working with us to maintain professional police standards. To my fellow law enforcement agencies, District Attorney Hillar Moore, Sheriff Gautreaux, Col Kevin Reeves, Col Mike Edmondson, I am grateful for your cooperation and the strong, effective working relationship we have built together.

I also want to extend my personal thanks to former Mayor-President Kip Holden for his confidence in me and for the opportunity to lead one of the most prestigious police departments in the country.

Unfortunately, I am in a situation that will not serve our police department or the citizens of Baton Rouge,

My hope is that the men and women of the Baton Rouge Police Department will be allowed to perform their jobs according to state law, without prejudice, and that politics will not prevail over public safety.

May God bless the men and women of the Baton Rouge Police Department. 

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