NEW ORLEANS — A Mike Perlstein investigation uncovered a draft plan from the New Orleans Police Department that will move dozens of officers to street patrols from desk jobs and investigative units.
The New Orleans police department has 950 officers, hundreds less than what it's budgeted
Mike Glasser, president of PANO (Police Association of New Orleans) said the department needs more people.
“It is catastrophic at this point. At what point does it become impossible to provide the public safety we're supposed to?” Glasser said. “The officers that are in the street that are suffering now, the 400 cops that we have now that are trying to hold this together, and answer calls -- 30, 40, 50 call backlog -- they're going to be happy to have that help.”
“The number of officers on patrol has reached critical levels,” the draft said.
The recommendation, a total of up to 100 commissioned officers will be added to the streets. They'll be pulled from desk jobs and specialized units. Another recommendation, assign 40 reserve officers to the 5th and 7th districts, which cover the 9th ward and New Orleans East.
To deal with those slow 911 response times, each district will need to implement a "minimum officer deployment", meaning keeping enough officers on the streets so emergency calls are continuously answered.
Councilman Oliver Thomas said the footprint of his district in the East alone is reason for more help.
“First name Halle second name Lujah makes sense. How do you have areas with that much land mass and not make sure you have enough people to cover those areas, especially when you talk about calls for service,” Thomas said.
Former law enforcement officer, now chief at Seal Security New Orleans, Reginald Rowe Jr. says it’s going to take the community working together to reduce crime.
“Most districts like the 7th district and 5th district, they have big backlogs, we’re talking about traffic accidents, talking about homicides, you're talking about aggravated battery all these different calls are coming out,” Rowe Jr. said. “That’s more people with boots on the ground that can respond to the residents of New Orleans East and make this place safe.”