New Orleans police to be pulled off streets

Seattle Times ^ | September 5, 2005 | Chris Adams, Martin Merzer and Susannah A. Nesmith

[Smokin' Joe]

I have a feeling what you are seeing on the TV feeds is pretty tame compared to some of what is there in the bowl. And you are not getting the smell, either.

It is different to walk into some place you don't know and see devastation vs your street, your home, your neighborhood.

[brwnsuga]

" there is a small percentage of people in NOLA who have damaged thier name and image"

The MSM is in the business of bringing the most negative images to the forefront, but I have been seeing somes positive stories of black NOLA residents helping out, rescuing people and protecting their fellow man. There is bad and good in every race of man.

[t2buckeye]

If he is only NOW reliquishing control....then the fault of lack of law enforcement and rescue belongs to....?

[Caipirabob]

Very true, which is why I've donated to the cause to help them build a new life.

I have a very harsh attitude towards those who stayed behind who could have evacuated. It was done more than likely with criminal intent. These are the ones who see themselves as modern day warlords and are the ones firing on the rescuers.

Resuce and salvage those who we can. After that, I almost think it would be wiser to cordon off the city and wait for three months. Then bulldoze and rebuild.

[rawhide]

Sorry, this does not make sense to me. The New Orleans cops know their city very well and they should be assisting the feds in their search, and in the law enforcement. And to pull all firefighters, paramedics and emergency dispatchers off their jobs is so asinine, IMO. Is this what the feds really wanted to see happen, or this another mistake on the part of the mayor? Maybe someone can explain this to me? Thanks.
I seem to remember the real heroes in NYC were the police and firefighters who stayed on the job after the twin towers came down, assisting the feds in every way possible.

[BonnieJ]

They will never blame the residents of New Orleans...they might be labeled "racist".

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

Oh, it's different.

I read the report of two N.O. cops who changed into civilian clothes and drove a N.O. police car to Baton Rouge. They were stopped by B.R. cops thinking some N.O. civilians had stolen the police car.

I also read that something around 200 of 1,500 N.O. police officers simply went AWOL.

Further, I don't recall reports of any uniformed NYC police officers caught on video looting after the towers fell in NYC. Shameful video is available of N.O. officers looting.

That's pretty different, alright.

The notorious corruption of many New Orleans police officers has been well documented.

Whose earlier quote was it? "Half of Louisiana is under water and the other half is under indictment."

[chgomac]

"I feel nothing but shame from NOLA."

And that's the danger! I felt shame, digust and anger at the soldiers who played sex games with the AbuGhraib prisoneers....but never did my shame extend to the entire military. A few rotten apples are found in nearly every situation, in every profession... so to the fellow citizens who stayed and helped, the police, fire,doctors & nurses, we owe you thanks and we will not throw your heroic efforts into the same pile with those criminals!

[uncbob]

I seem to remember the real heroes in NYC were the police and firefighters who stayed on the job after the twin towers came down, assisting the feds in every way possible.

Were their homes destroyed and their families evacuated to who knows where . And the NYC even when putting in very long days had a warm home with running water a good meal and a supporting family to come home to

In addition everybody was cooperating and they didn't have to spend their time chasing looters and the scum of society weren't harrassing them And the entire city of NY wasn't under water with NO WATER and NO ELECTRICITY

I wish you people would quit trying to compare this to the TWIN TOWERS like it was exactly the same thing

[Lessismore]

The Feds need to seal the city off and empty it so they can dispose of the dead without actually counting them.

[uncbob]

I stand by my post
I am surprised as many stayed as they did

Let your family be evacutlated to who knows where and have YOUR house and city destroyed and then come back and tell me how you will stay around an do your duty trying to contain the scum of society

[CatoRenasci]

I think it may be a competence and corruption issue. But also the mayor and governor wanting to ensure that no blame fall son them for anything -- they can say they were abandoned by the feds at the beginning and then the feds took over, so therefore they have no responsiblity. F'em!

[IGOTMINE]

I have to wonder how many of them are are going to retire on their newly acquired jewelry holdings.

[bandleader]

I have been listening to Mark Simone on WABC(NYC)this morning.He claims that these two incompetent BOZOS(Blanco and Nagin)didn't even attempt to execute their own(in place)evacuation plan!I guess we've all seen all those buses just sitting there half flooded!!Not only that,but there was ZERO communication between them because the cells were down and they had no satellite phones!!!!

[PLK]

Others were expected as far away as Utah, West Virginia and Iowa.

Great. Can't wait.

Like the wonderful idea by church groups to sponsor and bring the Somalis to Maine or the Hmong to Minnesota. People of NO will NOT assimilate into the cultures of those states. It is bound to fail.

Don't these do-gooders have an ounce of brain cells in their heads?

[rawhide]

You make a good point!

[cajungirl]

why wouldn't they count the dead?

[chgomac]

I saw a NO policeman earlier in the week give a blistering interview on his thoughts about the few police officers who were giving his force a bad name....he spoke from his heart about the oath they took to protect people.

The interview was only shown once,unfortunately. There is no excuse for a corrupt policeman who looted....others may have thought they needed to get their own family to safety and they will get back on the job OK.

[Popman]

"We're going to make this city safe.

Moron Mayor, you no longer have a city, it's a large sewage holding pond

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Last night, Mayor Ray Nagin said his entire police force would be pulled off the streets by tomorrow and all firefighters, paramedics and emergency dispatchers also were being sidelined. They will be sent to Baton Rouge for evaluation and counseling, he said.

The entire police force should be pulled off the streets permanently. According to an article I just read on Drudge, the New Orleans cops pretty much acted like just another armed gang, staking out their territory and threatening citizens seeking help. Evaluation and counseling is not going to fix the rottenness that has consumed that whole force. And I am also astounded that absolutely no one in the MSM is challenging official explanations that it was too dangerous for the police to be out on the streets trying to rstore order or even joining in the looting. For goodness sakes, when someone accepts a badge from a supposedly professional police force, he or she accepts the risks that go with. Not these cops apparently...