It was a department in shambles, sullied by terrible crime statistics and violence coming from inside the department itself. City Council Vice President J.P. Morrell called for Fergusons resignation last week as the council worked to approve the citys $1.5 billion budget, of which, $25 million would go towards a police recruitment and retention incentive package. Shaun Ferguson announces retirement, La. Williams would become the first woman to serve as New Orleans top law enforcement officer and the first Black female NOPD superintendent. He gave this city his very best the safety and wellbeing of each and every resident and visitor was always his top priority, said Mayor LaToya Cantrell in a statement. In a copy of his most recent resum,obtained through a public records request after Cantrells announcement, Ferguson claimed that he reduced crime by 10-15 percent within two years as commander of the 4th District. Ferguson was very vocal in the past year regarding crime and how the Orleans Parish district attorney handled convictions. Ferguson said the detectives on the case deserve the credit for the arrest and conviction of the suspect, Kendall Harrison, whos now serving a life sentence. So far, Ferguson has not announced any major changes to his predecessors approach to violent crime or to the departments reform agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, called a consent decree. The appointment would be a historic move. I will still be your neighbor and I will always be a part of this city that I love so much. Ferguson emerged from the aftermath of Katrina with no known blotches on his record. He urged the council and other city leaders to work together and to stop political showmanship and "show up to the table" with open communication and ideas. He tested at .03, well below the legal driving limit of .08. His community-focused approach has helped mend the relationships between our officers and our residents. We need to support each other as we continue the work of making this city safe for its residents and visitors. Join me live on @FOX8NOLA at 5PM and 9PM for analysis. Ferguson said Monday he also received a masters decree from SUNO. We need to support each other as we continue the work of making the city safe for its residents and visitors. Ferguson shadowed Harrison during his last week in office, and their conversations have continued since then, he said. This is my decision. "I would like to extend the most heartfelt thank you to Chief Ferguson for your nearly 25 years of service, selflessness and sacrifice, especially in accepting my appointment of you as Chief in January 2019. Cantrell revealed Ferguson as her permanent choice on Jan. 14, breaking with the tradition of forming a search committee or appointing an interim chief who would be given time to meet the community before getting the job permanently. Ferguson faced difficult times during his tenure as superintendent. She has a long family history of law enforcement careers, including her father, who joined the force in 1968 as a cadet, and her uncle Warren G. Woodfork Sr., who was appointed as the first African American Superintendent of the NOPD. shaun ferguson is replacing former chief michael harrison, who resigned, taking a new post in baltimore the nopd says the arrest stems from a domestic dispute th happened over the weekend. 2018. Ferguson and other officers rushed to the scene of the shooting. Because the suspects are minors, their names and photos have not been released. Ferguson was very vocal in the past year regarding crime and how the Orleans Parish district attorney handled convictions. Ferguson was sworn in as superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department on Jan. 18, 2019. "I also want to thank the citizens of this great city for their kind words and support during my tenure. Since then, the city has faced countless challenges the Hard Rock Hotel collapse, two major hurricanes, a global pandemic, global inflation and a nationwide shortage of public safety personnel that New Orleans was certainly not immune to. Superintendent Woodfork is a member of the Fraternal Order of Police and the Black Organization of Police. Cantrell's statement about Ferguson's retirement can be read below: "The City of New Orleans will soon bid farewell to a great leader, a great partner and a great friend. "A masked vigilante known only as "X" dispenses justice without mercy to the criminals who rule the decaying city of Arcadia. One of the most high-profile cases he oversaw was the shooting of Harry Mike Ainsworth. Prior to overseeing the academy, Ferguson served for about three years as commander of NOPDs 2nd District before being moved to the academy assignment in June 2018. Please include the headline. Shaun Ferguson will retire effective 11:00 a.m. on Dec. 22, and we say Mayor Cantrell should announce his replacement . And sometimes you know a decision has to be made, a very important and necessary decision.". Over this last year, the city has seen serious reductions in crime, such as aggravated assaults, sexual assaults, business and residential burglaries and non-fatal shootings. Updated: Dec 7, 2022 / 09:40 AM CST. Ferguson was hand-picked by Cantrell and had previously served as head of the training academy and commander of the second and fourth police districts in New Orleans. What began as a simple salary data search on officers in the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) has led to a months-long undercover sting operation and has recently ended with cop suspensions, a . FILE - New Orleans Police Supt. MORGANS HEY TRAVERS. Ferguson served with the department for 23 years, with three of those years in the top position of the department. Emergency Calls: 911. This time Ferguson and his parents saw a different police force. Scharf said Ferguson was mentored by current NOPD Deputy Chief of Operations Paul Noel, an advocate of data-and technology-driven policing whos seen as No. They had an open-door policy, very community focused, excellent community policing skills.". Ferguson said it was time to focus on family, and he felt confident that he had made a difference in his time with the police department. ITS A DECISION SAYS WAS HIS AND HIS ALONE. 9:00am5:00pm, Non-Emergency Calls/To File Report(504) 821-2222
We have also seen more illegal guns being taken off our streets, with nearly 2,500 illegal guns seized just this year. Before this, he commanded NOPDs Fourth District from 2014 to 2016. "Copyright 2023 The City of New Orleans"|Report Fraud|Site Policies & Information. The George Floyd social justice movement, Goyeneche said. It would be disingenuous to the appointee and the people of this city if there were any attempt to circumvent this process, therefore, I am looking forward to the opportunity to engage the public in a community discussion on this important next step.. Ferguson previously served as Commander of the NOPDs Second District from 2016-2018. Ferguson's monthly financial retirement package would be $12,524 if he chooses not to work for a police department following his retirement from the NOPD, according to the Louisiana Municipal Police Employees Retirement System. However, Superintendent Harrison, the man Ferguson describes as his mentor, ordered him to serve a five-day suspension. Ferguson will retire at year's end. He called the profession of a police officer a "noble calling," saying it was a job that he put before his family for a long time. Emily Lane, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, named the citys new police superintendent, Who is Jonette Williams? Nummer 6 - 2017; Nummer 5 - 2017; Nummer 4 - 2017; Nummer 3 - 2017; Nummer 2 - 2017 The City of New Orleans will soon bid farewell to a great leader, a great partner and a great friend. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. But his tenure quickly proved challenging, with the outbreak of the COVID pandemic and a reversal of steep dips in violent crime. Lundy described Fergusons management style as valuing the employees under his charge, and that makes people work so much harder, he said. HE WAS APPOINTED THE CITYS TOP COP IN EARLY 2019 WITH NO CLUE THE CHALLENGES TO COME. He said Monday he was raised in the Lower 9th Ward before moving to Algiers. Richard Pennington, the only NOPD chief since 1980 who didnt rise through local law enforcement ranks, served eight years under former Mayor Marc Morial beginning in 1994, the city's high-water mark for deadly violence. A 17-year-old male, a 16-year-old female and two 15-year-old females were booked at the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center on one count of second-degree murder, according to the NOPD. And thats what this is all about.". He commanded the 4th District, the 2nd District and the training academy over the last six years. Shaun Ferguson tells WGNO that she had been a nine-year veteran of the NOPD and called the event horrible news. Should Ferguson continue to work as a police officer in some capacity, he could keep contributing to his state retirement package. At the time of his appointment to Chief, he was serving as the Commander of the Educational and Training Division, which oversees the police academy. On Election Day (Nov. 8), New Orleans voters approved a Home Rule Charter change that gives the City Council power to confirm or deny mayoral appointees. Interim Superintendent Michelle M. Woodfork is a legacy within the NOPD and is deeply rooted within the community. To this day I continue to think hes done a great job. Livaccari noted that the NOPD is a relatively young police force. Still, for the remainder of the month the mayor has the authority to pick her own police chief without running the choice by the council. Ferguson currently serves as commander of the Education and Training Division, which oversees the police academy. City Council President Helena Moreno released the following statement: Superintendent Ferguson faced significant challenges over the past several years, and I want to thank him for his hard work and dedication to the people of our City. The department is down to fewer than 950 commissioned officers from about 1,175 when he took office. The department came calling again in 1998. Ferguson said that when he finally sat down in his office at the 4th District, he looked back on a profession that had started as just a job but became a calling. Ferguson, along with NOPD 4th District Commander Ceasar Ruffin, appeared alongside Cantrell in August to speak at a peace rally in Eleanor McMain Secondarys gym, to honor slain 15-year-old Chance Smith, a freshman at the school, who was fatally shot by another teen in Algiers on Aug. 18. Harrison served 4 years. 715 South Broad St
SOME HAVE SAID IS THE ISSUE WITHIN THE NOPD. To the men and women of the New Orleans Police Department, I love you," Ferguson said. Pennington came as a reform agent, and upon doing so, he earned a lot of the communitys trust, he said. I am walking out on my own accord, he said. "Chief Ferguson has been dealing with an issue that no police chief has had to deal with in 100 years," Goyeneche said. Moving forward, there should be a national search for a new police chief to find the best candidate to lead the NOPD. Shaun Ferguson named new NOPD chief by Mayor LaToya Cantrell, Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. His neighborhood bona fides helped soothe tensions in the years following Katrina. City Council member Freddie King was among the majority on the council calling for Cantrell to follow the voter-approved confirmation process. Prior to training the next generation of NOPD officers, he served as Commander of the Second District from 2016 to 2018. He recalls her opening the conversation simply: Are you ready to be my chief?. "Ferguson issued the following statement regarding his retirement: "I want to thank Mayor Cantrell and her administration for their constant support over the past four years. ", "It is quite possible that this person already exists within NOPD," he said, "but if so, they need to be selected via a process that engenders the most NOPD and community support.". He has a bachelors degree in business administration from Southern University of New Orleans, NOPD said in a 2015 news release about his promotion to 2nd District commander. He gave this city his very best - the safety and . He gave this city his very best the safety and wellbeing of each and every resident and visitor was always his top priority," said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Its unclear if Noel will remain in that role. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. In 2012, Woodfork was selected by former Superintendent Ronal Serpas to launch the Alternative Police Response Unit, where she served as Commander. In a lengthy interview detailing his career, Ferguson said he was accepted into the police academy, but after talking with his parents, he backed out. or dial 311 or (504) 539-3266. NOTE: This story was updated Wednesday morning with additional information from court records. Also pushing for a national search was The Nola Coalition, a broad group of business and civic groups formed this year amid an ongoing surge in carjackings, shootings and murder. Before this, he commanded NOPDs Fourth District from 2014 to 2016. Before this, he commanded NOPDs Fourth District from 2014 to 2016. Fergusons first assignment was in Algiers, the same neighborhood where he grew up. Laws governing the City of New Orleans: Home Rule Charter, Code of Ordinances and the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. The best person for the New Orleans Police Department is within the New Orleans Police Department, he insisted. Ferguson joined the NOPD in December 1998. We just kind of hit it off from there.. E-mail nopdchief@nola.gov. Published: Sep. 8, 2022 at 8:55 PM PDT. Former NOPD Superintendent Ronal Serpas says Ferguson had to play a game with very little support.. Michael Hecht, president and CEO of GNO Inc., the regional economic development agency, said the coalition is concerned with "the process, not the people. NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and Superintendent Shaun Ferguson, flanked by city councilmembers and assorted . Fergusons first commander assignment was in the 4th District, which polices Algiers and has often been the starting ground for lieutenants who have been promoted to commander. SINCE BEFORE THANKSGIVING. Access open City data via download or API. Civic leaders push for national search for new NOPD chief, Shaun Ferguson says the decision to retire was his alone, BY JOHN SIMERMAN AND MATT SLEDGE | Staff writers, Mayor LaToya Cantrell gives State of the City address: 'Tired of fightingready to build'. None of the responding officers noticed signs of impairment, but as per NOPD policy, Ferguson took a blood alcohol test. We would go and take our showers there, he said. woman accused of using aunts debit card for 136 DoorDash orders held on preset $18 million bond, Newly installed Methodist bishop makes Louisiana history, called for Fergusons resignation last week, voters approved a Home Rule Charter change. "Everything I have been through, this department has been through, has been by his (God's) order and I will continue to follow that.". The 2nd District comprises the Carrollton, Freret, Leonidas neighborhoods and Uptown, all within Cantrells former council district. New Orleans, LA 70119, Phone(504) 658-5757
Ferguson was chosen to lead the department after former Superintendent Michael Harrison announced he was leaving New Orleans to become the police commissioner in Baltimore. Ferguson said his commitment to accountability does not conflict with caring for officers, even ones who have fallen under criminal suspicion. A white rookie cop shot a man named Henry Glover who was trying to pick up goods pilfered from a strip mall. After a long, painful recovery, Barnes survived. Overall, Ferguson's work history, coupled with interviews with fellow cops, community members and other public officials, shows an officer equally comfortable charging through doors as shaking hands. Submit request online
Cantrell led the Broadmoor Improvement Association at the time. Its time to sit back, look at what I have done, Ferguson said. SuperintendentWoodfork is a 32-year veteran of the department, joining the NOPD on Jan. 27, 1991. "This has been an emotional week, an emotional month. He will be sworn in Friday. Growing library of dashboards tracking City dat and initiatives.
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