NEW
ORLEANS, LA – Attorney General Jeff Landry has filed a legal brief supporting a
motion to terminate the Consent Decree that has plagued New Orleans for nearly
a decade.
"While
the Crescent City is rich in culture and tradition, it has devastatingly been
under attack by rising crime fueled by the disastrous Consent Decree,"
said Attorney General Landry. "Today's legal action is another step toward
helping the countless families ravaged by crime in New Orleans."
In his
filing, Attorney General Landry argues that the Consent Decree is a pernicious
threat to federalism and that it should be terminated not only because the NOPD
has satisfied the Consent Decree but also because applying the Consent Decree
prospectively is no longer equitable.
"Federal
Monitors – who are compensated by the City at approximately $115,000 per month
(on average) – have not been able to present a single violation of
constitutional policing, a systematic concern, or negative trend within the
NOPD," explained Attorney General Landry. "Additionally, the
"Full and Effective Compliance" as defined by the Consent Decree has
been reached and maintained for more than four years."
"There
is much work to do to restore New Orleans to its former stardom, but ending the
Consent Decree would be a tremendous start," concluded Attorney General
Landry. "For the people of New Orleans and the officers sworn to protect
them, I fully support ending the Consent Decree and hope the court will honor
my plea."