BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - One day after the Metro Council approved a budget with deep cuts and layoffs, money remained a major focus at Wednesday night’s council meeting.

Baton Rouge Police Chief T.J. Morse appeared before council members to request approval for a $150,000 contract that would provide outside legal counsel for the department. Morse said the support will ensure disciplinary decisions against his officers are upheld.

“It’s the cost of doing business and making sure the discipline that I render is going to be upheld,” Morse said.

The contract between Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, LLP will give the chief access to attorneys to handle cases when officers appeal suspensions or terminations. Morse said his office recently spent $40,000 on a single case because of repeated appeals

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