Nagin to Offer Free Trips to Las Vegas for N.O. Officers

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/05/national/nationalspecial/05vegas.html ^

[lauriehelds]

NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 4 - A day after two police suicides and the abrupt resignations or desertions of up to 200 police officers, defiant city officials on Sunday began offering five-day vacations - and even trips to Las Vegas - to the police, firefighters and city emergency workers and their families.

The idea of paid vacations was raised by both Mayor C. Ray Nagin and senior police officials who said that their forces were exhausted and traumatized and that the arrival of the National Guard had made way for the officers to be relieved.

"I'm very concerned about individuals who have been here, particularly since the first few days, and have been through a lot of hardship," Mr. Nagin said in an interview.

[singfreedom]

My thoughts EXACTLY! I wonder how long NY City Police (and everyone else) worked before they got a break? I know how long it was before OKC Police, Firemen, etc., got a break. Most of them had to be ordered to leave just to get some sleep! This lasted for MONTHS, as comparatively small as the bombing was!

This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of in my life. In the midst of a crisis, just because the NG & reg military are there, they are going to send their first responders on vacation??!! WTH!

[uncitizen]

two police suicides

Do we know for sure these were suicides?

[Ruth A.]

Don't you think a cash bonus would help them out more at a time like this? Who knows what they have lost to Katrina.

[Bon mots]

Just let 'em loot some more.

[Hushpuppie]

Ping

[LaineyDee]

Unbelievable.

[BurbankKarl]

May I be the first to opine, this idea is all wet!

[Echo Talon]

Whats up? You don't think those buses will float? Come'on! :)

[newzjunkey]

I'm at a loss for words.

[BurbankKarl]

I guess the Waterwold stunt show would be too tramatic.

[Echo Talon]

:D

[uncitizen]

i believe the phrase is "take the edge off their jones".

[uncitizen]

Or maybe on a chartered plane with only half a tank of gas.

[BIRDS]

Oh, hahaha!

[Howlin]

You just cannot make this stuff up.

[msnimje]

The New Orleans Police Force used to hire convicted felons. I think they just stopped this practice in the past few years. If there any other police force in the country that had or has this policy?

[OldFriend]

Sadly, we have seen just what NO is all about.

The underclass and the elected officials are one and the same.

Looters and killers.

[BIRDS]

I read earlier today that two of the N.O. cops were stopped in some other territory/somewhere north because they were seen driving a cop car, while dressed in street clothes.

They said they "escaped" the city of N.O., threw away their badges, put on street clothes and just drove their vehicle away. They changed everything except the vehicle, from the way it was reported.

Can't say I blame them for surviving as human beings BUT, they did have that oath of office thing going with their jobs, which they abandoned while keeping the car that came along with it...

[BIRDS]

The Chief of Police was upset because some of his men had "wet shoes."

Um...hurricane, flooding, cops on the beat...yeah, wet shoes, they'd have them alright.

[MaxMax]

Clearly,
and no, I don't present (Clearly) to be taken as a smoke screen.
The people in charge are without an ounce of common sense.

/I wipe my hands of their stupidity