NEW ORLEANS — One day after the New Orleans City Council called for the embattled director of the New Orleans 911 call center, Tyrell Morris, to be suspended; New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell says he will stay in his position until his resignation on September 15.
“The OIG is investigating Director Morris and as always, we will cooperate with the investigation of OPCD Director Morris. He is an important part of the public safety team, the city of New Orleans and we need time to transition," OPCD Board Chairman John Thomas said in a statement at Mayor Cantrell’s media conference.
"He is a vital part of our operation during the upcoming Essence fest as well as the Fourth of July festivities. And he will be working with us on this important weekend and will be allowing time for him to transition out.”
Mayor Cantrell says Director Morris will stay on board as director of the communication district through Essence Festival and the Fourth of July weekend, which is anticipated to bring large crowds of tourists.
The announcement comes despite City Council members J.P. Morrell and Helena Moreno calling for Morris to be suspended immediately after he was accused of altering policy documents following a car accident he was in in his city-owned vehicle.
Mayor Cantrell issued a statement on the resignation of Orleans Parish Communication District (OPCD) Executive Director Tyrell Morris saying:
"Director Morris is a certified public safety executive that has been engaged every hour of every day leading OPCD and my public safety team through several emergencies, events and significant technology and operational improvements for over six years," said Mayor LaToya Cantrell.
"Director Morris is known for bringing stakeholders together from many different segments of our community and government and uniting them towards one common goal. From developing the ground work for technologies that now make our entire nation safer, to consolidating 3-1-1 services to make City government available to our residents 24/7, to managing OPCD through a global pandemic and scheduling over 30,000 people for vaccinations, to implementing and leading the Violent Crime Reduction Task Force, Director Morris has demonstrated himself as a trailblazer who has totally changed the landscape of public safety. Always looking for ways to provide better services to our residents and visitors to meet them where they are, I thank him for his unwavering dedication and leadership to the City of New Orleans. With Director Morris taking on the heavy burden of public service for several years, it is my hope that in his next chapter, he is provided the space and support to strengthen his physical, emotional and mental well-being, and I wish him all the best in his future endeavors."
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