NEW ORLEANS — The 12-year-old federal consent decree to turn around the once-troubled NOPD took a major step toward resolution Friday with a joint motion from the city and U.S. Department of Justice to enter the final “sustainment period” of the sometimes contentious agreement.
The motion now goes to U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan to start a public comment period before she gives the green light for the two-year off-ramp in which the department must prove its ability to maintain its hard-won reforms.
The federal intervention began when the DOJ sued the city in 2012 to force improvements inside of a department that had once been riddled with corruption, brutality, civil rights violations, biased policing, and cronyism.
But in recent court hearings, as the NOPD checked off the final major areas of reform, Judge Morgan applauded the department’s progress and invited the city to start working on its plan to enter the final phase.
In the motion filed Friday morning, the city and DOJ admitted that there are still remaining areas that the NOPD needs to bring up to Constitutional standards, but that enough progress has been made to go forward.
“The Parties further agree that, by completion of the Sustainment Plan, the City will address any current outstanding issues of material compliance with the consent decree,” the motion reads.
This step in the long legal proceeding is certain to be a moment of triumph for Mayor LaToya Cantrell and Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, who was hired last year in part to bring the NOPD across the finish line.
The ground-breaking motion marks a dramatic turnaround from only a couple of years ago when the city filed its own combative motion to end wind down the agreement with Cantrell saying, “Enough is enough.”
The public comment period, the next step after Morgan’s expected approval, will unfold over the next two months and is anticipated to consist of public meetings and final court hearings in which public and community leaders will be invited to weigh in.
Attorney General Murrill released the following statement on New Orleans Police Department consent decree:
"This consent decree has been costly for the city and the state in many ways, not the least of which is millions of dollars. In 2012, the federal Department of Justice filed its complaint and the city consented the very same day to being placed under federal supervision for many matters that went well beyond constitutional requirements. I hope this is a meaningful path to reduce the scope of oversight and to create objectively measurable metrics focused on returning power and oversight to the people, not the federal courts."
Mayor Cantrell, Chief Kirkpatrick and Criminal Justice Commissioner Tenisha Stevens all issued statements as well:
“Today represents the power of our community in the City of New Orleans. It demonstrates that we have continued to do the work, and I am proud of the women and men of the New Orleans Police Department and their dedication to help get us to this important point. This has been a priority of my administration, and I have been laser focused since the beginning of my tenure, pushing forward critical reforms, and investing in public safety to build a stronger, more resilient City. It proves that we are stronger together when we commit to real, transformative change," – Mayor LaToya Cantrell
"This moment marks the culmination of years of hard work and progress. We have arrived at a point where the NOPD can confidently move into the sustainment phase of the consent decree. Our officers, staff, and leadership have worked tirelessly to build a department that the people of New Orleans can trust and be proud of. We remain committed to continuing our efforts in delivering a constitutionally based police department for a world-class city and I thank Mayor Cantrell, City Attorney Donesia Turner, past NOPD Superintendents, and all City officials for their leadership and support in reforming the NOPD for the people,” – NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick
Today marks a significant milestone for New Orleans community as the New Orleans Police Department enters the Sustainment Period of the federal consent decree. This transition signals that the department has made measurable progress in constitutional policing and reflects our collective commitment to ensuring these reforms become part of the department's culture. While much has been accomplished, this moment is not the end of our efforts but the start of a new chapter to ensure that the positive changes we’ve worked toward are not only maintained, but furthered. Together, we will continue working toward a safer, more just New Orleans. The filing reflects over a decade of reforms and improvements made by the NOPD, and this joint motion is the next step in ensuring those gains are sustained over the long term.” – Criminal Justice Commissioner Tenisha Stevens
City Council President Helena Moreno has released the following statement on the agreement between the Federal Department of Justice and the NOPD to begin the exit process from the 2012 consent decree:
"This is a critically important step forward for our City. Citizens in New Orleans deserve constitutional policing, and while the NOPD continues to improve, there will be more community input gathered before any court hearing that determines sustainment. Further, if sustainment is granted, NOPD will still require years of supervision. Nevertheless, this landmark step culminates years of work from the community, the Department of Justice, the NOPD, and the monitors, and represents real progress towards our shared goals."
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