NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The consent decree for the New Orleans Police Department is still in effect, despite the NOPD, the monitoring team and the Department of Justice agreeing that in the last few months, they have been seeing improvements in the department.
In a meeting held Wednesday, Feb. 21, NOPD’s Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick and her team discussed nine topics that highlighted progress made when it comes to complying with the decree.
Three of the topics included transparency, response times and payroll violations.
So far, Kirkpatrick has been in charge of NOPD for four months and says she wants the system and policies that are put in place to outlive her, even after her tenure once she’s gone.
Metropolitan Crime Commission President Rafael Goyeneche says Kirkpatrick comes with the experience and knows what it takes to see the consent decree come to an end.
“She understands what consent decrees mean and what the paths to getting out from underneath the consent decrees are. She has pledged to the court and to the community that her goal is to get the police department in substantial compliance,” said Goyeneche.
If the consent decree is terminated, NOPD’s superintendent would regain control of the department, which concerns some in the community.
Judge Susan Morgan said she was happy to hear about the progress but is not in a position to say the city is at a sustained level.
The next hearing is scheduled for Mar. 21 at 10 a.m.
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