Mayor's top aide who oversaw BRAVE program resigns

BATON ROUGE - A top aide of Mayor Sharon Weston Broome who oversaw the BRAVE program has resigned.

On Monday, the mayor's office confirmed the resignation of James Gilmore. Gilmore had been in charge of overseeing the BRAVE crime-fighting initiative for the mayor's office.

A recent internal report from the mayor's office said $1.6 million in grant funds had been frozen in February because progress reports had not been submitted. After a phone conference between the federal agency managing the grant and Broome's assistant chief administrative officer, it appeared unlikely that the grant would be extended.

Several contracts signed in association with the program also came under fire after one of the contractors suggesting at a Metro Council meeting that the ambush murder of three law enforcement officers a year ago was "justice."

The mayor's internal review claims all contracts were consistent with the program's goals.