Despite Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s call to bring the federal consent decree to an end, a federal judge rebuffed her request.
Federal monitors expressed concern over the ongoing manpower shortage was having on the department’s ability to abide by the decree.
While the department was concerned over the decree slowing down efforts to attract new recruits.
Jonathan Aronie, lead consent monitor, said the department staffing problem is impacting the making of progress on the decree.
“Person power problems are impacting the police department in a number of ways, including ways that relate to the consent decree,” Aronie told a broadcast outlet. “I think with the right resources, they can sure those areas up very well. But they need a concerted effort, they need innovation.”
The city was hoping for a release from the consent decree and filed for the hearing Tuesday to get the release by September 14th.
The Cantrell administration contends the decree is a major reason for the loss of officers.
Wednesday’s hearing was to update the court on the progress of the decree and did not consider the mayor’s motion for a closing out of the decree.
Judge Susan Morgan in fact defended the decree, as did the federal monitors.
“I definitely see NOPD getting out from the decree, and I take Superintendent Ferguson at his word that when they’re out, nothing is going to change,” Aronie said. “That’s the most important thing here. We’re not doing this as a 'check the box' exercise, we’re doing this for the betterment of the people of New Orleans.”
Judge Morgan did rule NOPD will have to make due with its current staffing numbers and deal with its issues of recruiting new officers while continuing to work under the consent decree.
Speaking with WWL-TV, Chief Superintendent Shaun Ferguson stated: “I think we’ve done a phenomenal job of being compliance with the consent decree and what is asked of us as a department. We, of course, as a department and in any organization want to do more, you want to do better. And that’s all we’re looking for and I think that’s what she [the Mayor] is expecting of us. We can do some things in a different way. And that’s how we have to look at policing today.”