NEW ORLEANS – In a press release, the Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region and the NOLA Coalition praised Mayor LaToya Cantrell for signing an agreement with the International Association of Chiefs of Police to lead and conduct a nationwide search for the next superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department. The groups say engaging IACP will help identify the best possible candidate and will build support and confidence among the citizens of New Orleans and the police department.
“We are eager to support the process to select our next superintendent, who can lead the stellar men and women of the New Orleans Police Department to our next level of growth and success,” said Jim Cook, chair of the Business Council’s Criminal Justice Task Force. “The process should include input from neighborhood leaders, the City Council and the business community. Transparency and community-wide consensus are essential ingredients for the success of our next senior executive.”
The NOLA Coalition and the Business Council encourage the City and IACP to move quickly and to create a timeline for the search. They also endorse offering a “nationally competitive salary” to help attract quality candidates.
“The NOLA Coalition looks forward to working with the administration, council and IACP on a search process that is transparent, best practice and includes community input,” said Michael Hecht, CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc. and one of the organizers of the NOLA Coalition. “Further, we know we must offer the new NOPD chief the right salary in order to attract and retain the best person for a job that is so critical to the lives and livelihoods of New Orleans.”
The Business Council and NOLA Coalition also are pleased that a contract has been signed with On Scene Services, which will provide civilian response to minor traffic accidents.
