NOPD

More from WDSU. "NOPD losing manpower faster than it can be replaced." Gee, I wonder how this is going to mesh with the plan to have the LANG 'step down as we step up.' Is that a hole in Hizzoner's logic? Of course.

Former NOPD Brass takes on the NOPD Brass in Gambit

A great piece on the NOPD during Katrina that was published in the New Yorker. Very detailed and informative. It will tear at your emotions. Unfortunately, every officer praised was guaranteed to be attacked by the petty, vindictive Police Brass.

I think one of the problems is we actually have TOO MANY police. That's right, too many. The focus is on quantity at the expense of quality. Given the historic distrust of NOPD, the last thing we need are more unqualified, underpaid rookies roaming the streets.

Since my last dictatorial proposals sparked some conversation, here's my second take:
* When evolutionary measures fail, launch a revolution!
* Disband NOPD (and I tend to be one of their defenders!). Fire Riley. Fire "Outa town" Brown.
* Replace it with an organization half the size, but with twice the pay
* Force transparency. Imagine if every time the police brass met, a video (minus mentions of specific cases) were posted on You Tube. Think about what Channel 9 has done for Microsoft. Huge bureaucracy exposed to the whithering barrage of bloggers, and yet it was a PR boon for Microsoft.
* Focus on quality of recruits. All should either have college degrees or be experienced officers. Let's start stealing from the manpower pool at JPSO and St. Tammany instead of the other way around.
* Give more autonomy to the good cops (whose names I won't mention here because it will only get them into trouble).
* Tweak things if you need to, but give it time to work.
* Instead of cameras of questionable efficiency and contractual origin, try Automated Shot Spotters. Publish the output from the system live on a website so anyone can view it.