[Sloth]

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.

[untrained skeptic]

They took the job. It was their duty to stay. They weren't risking their lives for Nagin's reputation, they were risking it for the people of New Orleans who they were sworn to protect.

The government of New Orleans definitely didn't make their jobs easy.

They didn't have the equipment they needed. They didn't have the leadership to be fully effective. However, there was still a lot they could do, but they chose to leave instead of fulfill their duty.