Chief Ferguson. actually responded on Friday 1/7/22 through the official NOPD communication department that more patrol / officers / manpower won’t create safety … WHAT THE ???
So why then did he tell City Council on 11/11/21 when asking for more than 122 million budgeting for 2022 that NOPD was facing a serious manpower issue … oh yes , he did. (Link below to full story and video)
PLEASE ask 10 friends, family, neighbors, Mardi Gras Krewe, church groups … and more to sign our petition. We are a mighty 1000 ; at 10,000 signatures we can really be a part of the solution and support safety by asking for more presence in our neighborhoods. Our petition needs more citizen signatures to show the strength of our voice - to join us in demanding more patrol power … to create a safe New Orleans for ALL.
Did NOPD miraculously hire 500 officers at the end of 2021? … uh, no. They did not . And actually applications are at an alarming low (we’ll talk about that next week) .
So what is it , Chief Ferguson? NOPD needs immediate man power and the LA National Guard is where you are looking to recruit anyway … so what’s the problem? )yes there is a full endeavor with the La Guard to recruit ! Why wait? Let’s get The Guard here now! Hook them into everything great about New Orleans and then for sure they will be eager to join the NOPD.
The bottom line is there are not enough officers to ensure public safety and deter crime here in New Orleans. Don’t we deserve a New Orleans Safe? Come be in this number, won’t you?
Fact: November 11,2021 NOPD Chief appears in front of City Council explaining the lack of NOPD officers is a bad situation. Ferguson says a big focus, though, needs to be on recruitment and retention, since his department is dealing with a
“serious manpower issue.”
And if you are concerned about over policing …. The Vox article link is full of interesting stats and data.