“To help and defend”
New Orleans citizens didn’t need any confirmation of their fear that rogue behavior was metastasizing throughout the NOPD when the Department of Justice announced investigations into civil rights violations, including a conspiracy to cover up police shootings of unarmed citizens on the Danziger Bridge in the days after Hurricane Katrina.
The public already feared the NOPD.
Nor did the public require any additional proof that the NOPD has been unresponsive when Inspector General Ed Quatrevaux issued a scathing rebuke of Superintendent Warren Riley’s refusal to furnish records on police complaint investigations.
Civic organizations have long complained that the NOPD is unresponsive.
The downward spiral of police integrity and public confidence began after the organizational reforms instituted by former police chief Richard Pennington became subsumed to a culture that once again rewarded loyalty and secrecy, over professionalism and performance. One could convincingly argue that Pennington’s hard-won reforms needed time to work after a third of the police force was replaced, and that a loyal commander like Eddie Compass should strive to reduce the cost of high turnover. But that was a slippery slope which, under Superintendent Warren Riley, became a license for abuse of power.
New Orleans is such a small town environment that most of us know someone who’s a police officer. We would like to believe that 99 percent of officers sworn to protect and serve are honest, well intentioned, good people. Most of us would be shocked to learn that someone we knew might be involved in the kinds of conspiracies now under investigation by the Department of Justice.
On the other hand, most of us have also reacted with incredulousness to the defensive statements and acts by chief Riley over the years, which display a petulant character entirely out of sync with the public’s desire for the NOPD to respond to community concerns with openness and respect. To have a conversation with rank-and-file officers, it quickly becomes clear that most officers are trying the best they can to do their jobs, but keep their heads down for fear of having it chopped off by an act of retribution from Riley loyalists.
A cultural change is clearly needed at the NOPD, and it begins with the selection of a new police chief. The NOPD needs a leader who will create an attitudinal shift in the department — a cultural change in which responding to public needs isn’t just a chore, but a proactive discipline that is rewarded.
One might even suggest that instead of the motto, “To protect and serve,” the NOPD should reverse and change its priorities with the motto, “To help and defend.” Given recent revelations, there is a sort of chilling Orwellian meaning to the old motto. Protect whom? Serve whom?
The first priority of a police organization should be to help the community foster safer neighborhoods, because neighborhoods that are healthy and empowered don’t require as much protection. When the police do respond to emergencies, it should be done in a manner consistent with the values of the community, and using a problem-oriented approach, so that safety concerns are solved with community involvement, and in a targeted manner.
Just as chief Riley disingenuously proclaims to employ “progressive community involvement,” there isn’t any leader of a police organization today who wouldn’t swear to be a supporter of “community policing.” These days, professing support for community policing is like professing a love of puppies. It’s a comforting expression that’s been rendered meaningless by its common use.
We, the community, should have an opportunity to ask what “community policing” means in practice, with annual plans published for citizens to review, and with empirical, measurable results. Does it mean a “broken windows” approach that tries to arrest every perpetrator of any infraction of the law, or does it mean a targeted approach that focuses first on identifying high-priority public safety concerns of neighborhoods, and targets chronic violent offenders?
The NOPD should become an organization that first asks, “How can I help you?”, and that then defends the values of neighborhoods, with an appreciation for the fact that some neighborhood concerns may be different from others — as exemplified by complaints of harassment by Mardi Gras Indians.
Finally, it goes without saying that an organization predisposed to help, is an organization that doesn’t withhold records required to provide independent oversight (as the police monitor has requested), records required to alert neighborhoods of emerging public safety concerns (as Citizen Crime Watch has requested), and records required to improve the criminal justice system (as The Innocence Project has requested).
Ultimately, transparency might reveal some unpleasant realities, and might make some police officials uncomfortable, but becoming a victim is irreversible, going to jail for a crime you didn’t commit is a violation of liberty, and allowing rogue cops to fire on civilians with impunity is state-sponsored terrorism. In the long run, what we desire as a community should be the same as what the NOPD desires — and that is a visceral appreciation that an officer wearing a badge is a person sworn and trusted to help and defend.
In the interest of full disclosure, NolaStat was created out of the efforts by Citizen Crime Watch to secure an open data policy from the NOPD. There is now a public record request for a listing of 2009 homicides that has remained outstanding for three months. The department recently said that it had produced a list, but sent an invoice for $150 to be paid before the list would be released. Additionally, insights into the culture of the NOPD are informed, in part, by my own personal experience supporting and developing the COMSTAT crime mapping system that was implemented by Superintendent Pennington.
[...] We need a police chief who doesn’t allow this to happen ever again. As stated before, the first duty of a police department is “to help and defend.” [...]
As a Captain of Police, Riley commanded the 5th Police District, which included the Lower 9th Ward and the largest concentration of low-income residents in the City of New Orleans. He successfully reduced the homicide rate in that area by nine percent.
While a Lieutenant, he served as the commander of the Information Systems and Services Division. Riley also served as the Executive Assistant to the commander of the 6th Police District. He commanded the Department’s Community Oriented Policing Squad (COPS), which contained public housing developments that historically had high crime rates. Riley successfully reduced violent crime in those areas by 23%.
As a Sergeant, he was a platoon commander in the 5th Police District and later became a Special Investigator in the Internal Affairs Division.
As a Patrolman, Riley worked in the 6th Police District and as an undercover detective in the Vice Crimes and Major Case Narcotics Sections of the Special Investigations Division.
The New Orleans Police Department has acquired state of the art policing equipment and vehicles under Riley’s leadership. He assisted in the revitalization of Police Headquarters and district police stations that had been devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Riley has also overseen the largest budget and the largest recruit class in the history of the New Orleans Police Department.
Superintendent Riley holds a Masters of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Southern University of New Orleans, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Southern University of New Orleans and an Associate of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Delgado College of New Orleans. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at Southern University of New Orleans and previously served as an adjunct professor at Delgado College and Concordia College.
Superintendent Riley attended the Senior Management Institute for Police Executives in Boston. He is a graduate of the FBI’s National Executive Institute. Superintendent Riley studied transnational crimes and terrorism in Oslo, Norway. He has obtained training in Advanced Police Administration, Criminal Justice Administration, Criminal Justice Human Resource Management, Statistics, Legal Ethics in Law Enforcement and Community Policing.
Superintendent Riley is involved in many professional organizations and community groups such as: the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), Criminal Justice Advisor to the Louisiana University Violence Intervention Team and Vice President of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). He also serves on several boards, including the State of Louisiana Drug Policy Board, Orleans Parish Communications District Board, Bishop Perry School and the United Way.
While I would argue that the post-Katrina claims are exaggerated — in particular with regard to the adoption of new technology — what, Shequilia, explains the contrast between Chief Riley’s esteemed background, and the extremely negative view of the police department that emerged in significant part under his leadership?
Fundamentally, he is unresponsive. Capable, perhaps, but unresponsive to serious, substantive grievances of the community.