New Orleans Police Department Status: The situation for the NOPD is critical. This is firsthand information I have from an NOPD officer we're giving shelter to. Their command and control infrastructure is shot. They have limited to no communication whatsoever. He didn't even know the city was under martial law until we told him! His precinct (5th Precinct) is under water! UNDER WATER -- every vehicle under water. They had to commander moving trucks like Ryder and UHaul to get around. The coroner's office is shut down so bodies are being covered in leaves at best or left where they lie at worst.
They don't even know their own rules of engagement. He says the force is impotent right now. They have no idea what's going on, no coordination...
More from the Police Officer. I'm typing as fast as i can while he talks to us: He's only hearing bits and pieces. The people in the city are shooting at the police. They're upset that they're not getting help quickly enough. The fireman keep calling because they're under fire. He doesn't understand why the people are shooting at the rescuers. Here it is 5 days ago the Mayor said get out of town and nobody went and now they're pissed.
The National Guard was at the Hilton, but now the Hilton is evacuated. When they said the CBD was gonna get 6 feet of water, it seems like everyone evacuated.
He turned the corner onto Canal Street and it looked like a flea market. People breaking into every store, going to the neutral gound (median) and trading and selling everything.
They broke into Winn Dixie Monday Night. Do they steal food? No. Cigarettes and liquor. Store was a mess. All the meats were going to waste so the districts went over there to salvage food for officers. Many cops have been eating MREs.
The Iberville Housing Projects got pissed off because the police started to "shop" after they kicked out looters. Then they started shooting at cops. When the cops left, the looters looted everything. There's probably not a grocery left in this city.
Over 30 officers have quit over the last 3 days. Out of 160 officers in his district maybe 55 or 60 are working. He hasn't seen several since Sunday. HQ is closed, evacuated. No phones to contact them.
"HQ, be advised, we're going 10 7." [going off duty]
"Ok, y'all coming back on???"
"We don't know."
I certainly hope the hellhole at the Convention Center is the President's first stop tomorrow. He needs to see how FEMA's rescue operation is going, and I can't think of a better place to see it. Someone needs to move the dead old woman in the wheelchair by the door though, because it will make for a poor photo op.
Simplistic, I know ---- but if the entrance is where these lowlifes are, then bulldoze holes in the convention walls on the sides and back of the center, so that people can get out. Meanwhile keep the criminals busy at the entrance.
This guy sounds like a coward. If his are men tasked with gaining control over the facility to stop rapes and beatings, whoever gets in the way of that mission should be shot on the spot.