Posted on 09/20/2005 9:49:12 AM PDT by Dane
PAULA ZAHN: Well, because of all the chaos after Katrina, many New Orleans police officers, as I have just said, simply vanished. And their fellow officers called them all that and more. Well, tonight, for the first time, in an exclusive report, you're about to hear from one of those who left, a high-ranking officer, and hear why he made that choice.
Here's Jason Carroll.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you doing, man? Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!
(CROSSTALK)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the days of lawlessness, looting and flooding, something happened few people in New Orleans imagines was possible. Hundreds of police officers, like Lieutenant Henry Waller, abandoned their fellow officers and thousands of evacuees when they were needed most.
LT. HENRY WALLER, NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT: I defend it by saying that I left them in a bad situation, but I have would have been leaving my wife in a worse situation.
Snip
H. WALLER: The one time that I know that I did the right thing and made the right decision, it's going to vilify me, that's difficult to deal with.
Snip.
H. WALLER: We listened to the radio. And we're hearing the things, the water is still rising. The water is still rising. The water is still rising. The looting is this. The looting is that.
Snip
H. WALLER: I got with another lieutenant in the First District, who essentially told me, look, you're a supervisor. You can't scare these guys. If they know you're scared, they're going to be scared. And I said, flat out, I said, you know what? I am scared. Everybody here is scared. And the bottom line is, I'm not going to tell these guys everything is going to be OK when it's not going to be OK.
(Excerpt) Read more at transcripts.cnn.com ...
All one has to see is the videotape of the two cops joining in the looting of a Wal-Mart.
The transcript of this story begins about 1/4 of the way down of the above link.
Could you correct disater to disaster in the title, if possible.
One point is, when the city pays cops a poverty wage, don't be surprised when thugs get recruited and stiff like this happens. You get what you pay for. NOPD was vastly underpaid and acted like it.
Lt. Waller is a maggot.
Has the NOPD taken the deserters and/or looters back?
And maybe his wife shouldn't be married to a cop.
While he may be a good man, he is NOT a good leader, he should resign or be "LET GO".
So in the face of a disaster of biblical proportions these fellows are supposed to, what, sacrifice themselves???
I don't condone the ones that joined in the looting, but anyone who thinks the police are going to let their families die while they "perform their duty" is just not in touch with reality.
Later on in the transcript, IIRC, it says that the deserters are going to get a hearing.
Has the NOPD taken the deserters and/or looters back?
Maybe they sent them to Vegas?
She wasn't .... she was in Baton Rouge.
"to protect and serve" ?????????
I am pretty supportive of the deserters. If I was risking my life for Nagin's reputation, I'd have second thoughts about continued employment, too.
I'm inclined to give him a pass, insofar as he saw to the needs of his family first. Should he remain on the police force? I'm not so sure.
The real issue is why the families of first responders weren't evacuated and taken care of so the first responders could focus on the emergency unencumbered. It is a weak point in their plan, if it wasn't even considered.
Snort. Well, just another reason not to set foot in NO anytime soon.
i suppose he was one of the poor oppressed blacks that couldn't get out of town with 3days notice. on the flip side, my wife and kids would come first, too. but he had an opportunity to get them out of town before that and stay back to do his job.
I thought about that, but at the same time, that is part of the job description. What is the point of having emergency workers if they decide they don't want to work during an emergency?
This guy can always get another job. When the situation is that dangerous, and there was a real possibility, at least in their minds, that he would not be coming home, I would rather my children and myself have an unemployed husband and father, rather than a heroic dead cop.
I know that is selfish, and that someone has to do the job. But my family comes first. I don't blame him.
His wife was in Baton Rouge, safe. She was afraid for her husband's safety, and her father was and is still missing. She says blame her.
Mrs VS
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Uniform allowance $ 500.00 per year
Mileage allowance $ 700.00 per year
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College credits upon completion of Police Academy
32 weeks state certified law enforcement training
Group health, dental and vision insurance
Free / reduced college tuition programs
Low interest home mortgage loans
Excellent retirement plan:
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30 years of service - 100%
Job advancement and security
Paid vacation and sick leave
http://www.nopdonline.com/rec1.htm
Source:
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