CENTRAL - The Central Police Department chief said Thursday the mayor's proposed budget overestimates how much money it would take to operate the agency full-time.

Chief Roger Corcoran said he submitted three models for a full-time Central Police Department with budgets ranging from $3.2 million to $4.7 million, and start-up costs between $800,000 and $1.2 million.

However, Corcoran says that "information circulating suggests only one model available" that would require a $7 million annual budget and $13 million in start-up costs. He says that came from Mayor Wade Evans alone.

Corcoran also said some claim he's "pushing for a tax increase to fund" the full-time police department. He said that, instead, he wanted to "establish a local mayor's court to keep fine and citation revenue in Central" and that he wanted to allocate more of the existing budget to public safety.

This comes after Evans proposed a new contract with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office to supplement the Central Police Department, which currently operates mostly part-time.

Corcoran said he remains open to all options, including "continuing or expanding our contract with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office."