NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation is inviting citizens of greater New Orleans to “go blue” by wearing blue clothing and displaying blue lights on buildings and homes on Sept. 14 to honor local law enforcement officers who work to keep the community safe.
The NOPJF submitted a request to the City Council President JP Morrell, who issued a proclamation honoring all divisions of local law enforcement on Thursday. Through this recognition, the NOPJF hopes to boost morale and retention in understaffed departments as well as demonstrate to officers that the citizens have their “six.”
“The bravery, fortitude, and sacrifice demonstrated each and every day by our local law enforcement is without equal, and our appreciation for what they do to keep our community safe is immeasurable,” said Elizabeth A. Boh, board chair at the NOPJF. “From working perimeters in scorching heat, to pedestrian safety at huge events, to proactive enforcement and game-day patrols, our officers at each department in Orleans Parish ensure order is never threatened by chaos.”
In recognition of the observance, several iconic and historic buildings that make up the New Orleans skyline will be illuminated blue in recognition of the dedication and sacrifice of our local law enforcement officers. As the centers of so many cultural events, their lights remind the world that New Orleans supports its officers. Locations include the Caesars Superdome, Hibernia Tower, Sheraton New Orleans Hotel and Aloft New Orleans Downtown.
The NOPJF is responsible for numerous programs impacting the daily lives and investigations of individual officers. Most recently, the foundation was responsible for driving police officer recruit applications to the New Orleans Police Department through its “Back the Badge” recruitment campaign. The effort resulted in over 45,000 applications received since 2013 – 2,200 of which were produced in the first seven months of 2023.
NOPJF is now focused on enhancing its core programs such as the officer tuition assistance program, advanced officer training, community events (such as the recent Blue Crew station revitalizations), Adopt-A-Cop Mardi Gras Support Program, and increasing the efficacy and impact of units and districts. Units recently impacted in partnership with NOPD include the Mounted Unit for whom the NOPJF coordinates horse adoptions, the Canine Unit for whom the NOPJF facilitates annual certifications through the National Police Canine Association, the Digital Forensics Unit for whom the NOPJF acquires rare or unique hardware and software, and the District Investigative Units (DIU) from which the NOPJF sends detectives to trainings such as The Reid Institute.
