City responds after potential breach in NOPD Officer Vappie investigation, recordings leaked

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — A big leak into the NOPD Officer Jeffrey Vappie and his appointment to the HANO board has been released.

The Mayor’s Office, the NOPD and the Independent Police Monitor are all weighing in.

WGNO has obtained a copy of the leaked material that was put on a flash drive by one of our sources.

On it, recorded interviews, including several where Office Vappie can be heard telling his side of the story.

The ongoing investigation has to do with Vappie’s appointment to the HANO Board and his connection to Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s security detail.

In a letter from the Independent Police Monitor, Council President JP Morrell, Judge Susie Morgan (who is overseeing the Consent Decree), and others were notified of a leak of some recorded interviews in the Vappie investigation.

The Independent Police Monitor says the leak is a breach of security, outside of NOPD protocol, and possibly in violation of Louisiana law.

On Wednesday, the New Orleans City Attorney and Deputy Superintendent of NOPD’s Public Integrity Bureau issued the following statement:

“There is no breach of any kind within the PIB.” The statement went on to say, “an internal investigation is underway and the flash drive was inadvertently released by the city’s law department to a HANO board member. The law department has taken steps to address the mishap.”

Late Wednesday afternoon, City Council President JP Morrell and Councilmember Joe Giarrusso said the following

“This release creates more questions than answers. If the Public Integrity Bureau is not finished with the investigation then the investigatory materials should only be in their hands. The City Attorney’s Office shouldn’t be in the middle of this. This investigation is completely compromised.”

Councilmembers Morrell and Giarrusso are now calling on the NOPD to turn the entire investigation over to the IPM for a complete review.