New Orleans activists organize community discussion on police consent decree
New Orleans – On June 24, members of New Orleans for Community Oversight of Police (NOCOP) hosted a community discussion on the New Orleans Police Department federal consent decree. About 20 people were in attendance at the Nora Navra Library. Independent Police Monitor of the New Orleans Police Department, Stella Cziment, shared information about the consent decree in light of the city’s attempts to terminate federal police oversight.
NOCOP member Toni Jones opened the discussion by drawing a connection between the consent decree and to the question of racist repression and democracy in New Orleans. “Do we have an option to say how we are policed? Do we have a say over the means and measures by which we’re treated by the state and the police?” asked Jones. She stated that New Orleans lacks community oversight of the police, which is “a reflection of a city administration that does not take police brutality seriously.
The Independent Police Monitor followed with a presentation on the consent decree, allowing for community members to learn more about what exactly it is, how a history of police crimes led to its implementation in New Orleans, and to what degree the NOPD is in compliance today. Many participants, who ranged from seasoned activists to concerned neighbors, were alarmed by the lack of public education on police oversight and local media’s ineffective coverage of the issue.
The educational discussion came together as consent decree compliance has been under fire from city officials, especially Mayor Latoya Cantrell. Since March of 2023, Cantrell has insisted on a “boycott” of the consent decree, barring the New Orleans Police Department and city employees from attending public meetings and court hearings. This was blatant noncompliance with a federal mandate. Most recently, the mayor has moved to terminate the consent decree in court on June 28, citing NOPD compliance with regulations. Federal consent decree monitors, however, maintain that the city still has yet to meet the required benchmarks for constitutional policing.
The community discussion concluded with a call for the public to rally at the federal building on Wednesday, June 28, before the city presents its opening arguments for termination to the federal judge.
A livestream of the discussion is available for viewing on NOCOP’s social media, @ n.o.cop on Instagram.