Investigation of the New Orleans Police Department United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division March 16, 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................ v A. Patterns and Practices of Unconstitutional Conduct ............................................................. vi 1. Use of Force................................................................................................................. vi 2. Stops, Searches and Arrests ........................................................................................ vii 3. Discriminatory Policing ............................................................................................... ix B. Systemic Deficiencies Causing or Contributing to Unconstitutional Conduct .................... xii 1. Policies....................................................................................................................... xiii 2. Recruitment ............................................................................................................... xiv 3. Training ..................................................................................................................... xiv 4. Supervision ................................................................................................................ xiv 5. Paid Details ................................................................................................................. xv 6. Performance Evaluations and Promotions ................................................................. xvi 7. Misconduct Complaint Intake, Investigation, and Adjudication .............................. xvii 8. Community Oriented Policing ................................................................................. xviii 9. Officer Assistance and Support .................................................................................. xx 10. Interrogation Practices ................................................................................................ xx 11. Community Oversight ............................................................................................... xxi C. Summary of Recommendations ......................................................................................... xxii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................... xxiv GENERAL METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................. xxv ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................... xxvi II. Use of Force .................................................................................................................... - 1 - A. Legal Standards .................................................................................................................. - 1 - B. Findings.............................................................................................................................. - 1 - 1. Overview of Force Findings ..................................................................................... - 1 - 2. Unreasonable Use of Force....................................................................................... - 3 - 3. Failure to Implement Measures to Prevent Unreasonable Force .............................. - 9 - III. Stops, Searches and Arrests .......................................................................................... - 26 - A. Legal Standards ................................................................................................................ - 26 - B. Findings............................................................................................................................ - 27 - 1. Inadequate Policies and Training ........................................................................... - 28 - 2. Organizational Focus on Arrests ............................................................................ - 29 - 3. Failure to Properly Justify Stops, Searches, and Arrests ........................................ - 30 - i IV. Discriminatory Policing ................................................................................................ - 31 - A. Legal Standards ................................................................................................................ - 32 - 1. Fourteenth Amendment .......................................................................................... - 32 - 2. Safe Streets Act ...................................................................................................... - 33 - 3. Title VI ................................................................................................................... - 33 - B. Findings............................................................................................................................ - 34 - 1. Discriminatory Policing on the Basis of Race, Ethnicity, and LGBT Status ......... - 34 - 2. National Origin Discrimination: Failure to Provide Police Services to Persons with Limited English Proficiency ............................................................................................. - 40 - 3. Gender-Biased Policing: Failure to Investigate Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence ............................................................................................................................ - 43 - V. Recruitment ................................................................................................................... - 51 - VI. Training ......................................................................................................................... - 54 - A. Deficiencies in Developing and Delivering Training ...................................................... - 54 - 1. Inadequate Development of Priorities and Goals ................................................... - 54 - 2. Weaknesses in Curricula, Lesson Plans and Presentation ...................................... - 55 - B. Deficiencies in Staffing, Facilities, and Recordkeeping .................................................. - 56 - 1. Failure to Develop Criteria for Instructor Selection and Review ........................... - 56 - 2. Inadequate Training Facilities ................................................................................ - 57 - 3. Lack of Effective Record Management .................................................................. - 57 - C. Inadequate Recruit, Field, and In-Service Training ......................................................... - 58 - 1. Problems in Recruit (Academy) Training .............................................................. - 58 - 2. Deficiencies in Field Training Program ................................................................. - 58 - 3. Failure to Provide In-Service Training ................................................................... - 59 - VII. Field Supervision .......................................................................................................... - 60 - A. Deficient Field Supervision Policies ................................................................................ - 61 - B. Deficient Field Supervision in Practice ........................................................................... - 63 - 1. Failures in First-line Supervision ........................................................................... - 63 - 2. Reliance on Integrity Control Officers ................................................................... - 64 - 3. Ineffective Alternative Mechanisms for Supervision ............................................. - 64 - C. Implementing Effective and Accountable Field Supervision .......................................... - 65 - 1. Appropriate Span of Control and Staffing Allocation ............................................ - 66 - 2. Unity of Command ................................................................................................. - 66 - 3. Systems to Support Field Supervision .................................................................... - 67 - VIII. Paid Details ................................................................................................................... - 69 - ii A. The Impact of the Detail System as Currently Structured ............................................... - 70 - 1. Negative Impact on Quality of NOPD Policing .................................................... - 70 - 2. Role of Details in Facilitating Abuse and Corruption ............................................ - 72 - 3. Increased Risk of Dangerous Officer Fatigue ........................................................ - 72 - 4. Role of Details in Contributing to Inequitable Policing ......................................... - 73 - 5. Cost of Details to the City ...................................................................................... - 73 - B. Fixing the Paid Detail System.......................................................................................... - 73 - IX. Performance Evaluations and Promotions .................................................................... - 75 - A. Inadequate Processes to Assess Officer Performance ..................................................... - 76 - B. Inadequate Systems for Promoting Ethical and Effective Officers ................................