New Orleans -
Mayor Mitch Landrieu has named a new police chief to the NOPD. Ronal Serpas comes to New Orleans after a stint as Nashville's top cop.
The New Orleans Police Department has been plagued by corruption and crime. The president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, Rafael Goyeneche, says the new chief has a tough job ahead of him. "The hard part is to be re-establishing the trust that's been destroyed by all of these police misconduct cases, that's something that's going to take years" he explains.
Goyeneche has said Mitch Landrieu would be committing political suicide if he hired someone from within the NOPD to become chief. Ronal Surpas worked at NOPD headquarters for a number of years before moving to Nashville, so is he too close to the situation? Surprisingly, Goyeneche says no. "When he left this police department, he left this department in a condition where it was viewed as an asset on his resume to have been a part of the solution in re-structuring and reforming the New Orleans Police Department" Goyeneche says.
But Romell Madison, whose brother was killed by NOPD cops after Katrina, is a little concerned saying, "I have my reservations."
Madison wonders if the mayor should've hired someone who didn't have any ties to the NOPD, but now that Serpas has been hired, he's cautiously optimistic, saying "I would like to see what his plans are and then I really hope that he can bring this police force forward."
While working for the NOPD several years ago, Ronal Serpas served as second in command under Chief Richard Pennington.
The New Orleans Police Department has been plagued by corruption and crime. The president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, Rafael Goyeneche, says the new chief has a tough job ahead of him. "The hard part is to be re-establishing the trust that's been destroyed by all of these police misconduct cases, that's something that's going to take years" he explains.
Goyeneche has said Mitch Landrieu would be committing political suicide if he hired someone from within the NOPD to become chief. Ronal Surpas worked at NOPD headquarters for a number of years before moving to Nashville, so is he too close to the situation? Surprisingly, Goyeneche says no. "When he left this police department, he left this department in a condition where it was viewed as an asset on his resume to have been a part of the solution in re-structuring and reforming the New Orleans Police Department" Goyeneche says.
But Romell Madison, whose brother was killed by NOPD cops after Katrina, is a little concerned saying, "I have my reservations."
Madison wonders if the mayor should've hired someone who didn't have any ties to the NOPD, but now that Serpas has been hired, he's cautiously optimistic, saying "I would like to see what his plans are and then I really hope that he can bring this police force forward."
While working for the NOPD several years ago, Ronal Serpas served as second in command under Chief Richard Pennington.
Digg
Twitter
Facebook
StumbleUpon
