I don't think 1000 officers were no-shows. I believe their whole department is only 1200, or they have 1200 uniformed PO's and the 300 are upper brass. All 1200 were supposed to be on duty and from what I have heard 200 are unaccounted for right now. I did hear 2 committed suicide on the job and several are feared dead from the storm.
I know many cut and run and I am not excusing any of it. It is one big cluster down there.
I don't think 1000 officers were no-shows. I believe their whole department is only 1200, or they have 1200 uniformed PO's and the 300 are upper brass. All 1200 were supposed to be on duty and from what I have heard 200 are unaccounted for right now. I did hear 2 committed suicide on the job and several are feared dead from the storm.
Only 500 police were on duty according to this report.
See this FR thread.....
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1476938/posts
Excerpt:
The National Guard was slow to move troops into New Orleans because it did not anticipate the collapse of the city's police force after Hurricane Katrina, the guard's commander said.
Lieutenant General Steven Blum said the New Orleans police force was left with only a third of its pre-storm 1,500-person strength.
Some police had families caught up in the disaster, others were unable to make it back to their precincts because of the flooding, and yet others left their posts after deciding the situation had grown too dangerous
NO cops starting pay is 300 bucks a week. I think that if I were a cop there and probably had my own home flooded out and was trying to take care of my own family, I would not show up even if I could get there. With no communication, no gas, and no clear directive or leadership, I think I would quit, too.