NOPD reassigns officers during internal investigation

01:25 PM CDT on Wednesday, April 5, 2006

WWLTV.com

The FBI and the NOPD's Public Integrity Bureau are investigating allegations made by the wife of a New Orleans police officer that she was beaten by three white members of the NOPD following a traffic stop Tuesday evening.

Police officer Desmond Pratt and his wife Junie.

NOPD Superintendent Warren Riley said the woman, identified as Junie Pratt, the wife of officer Desmond Pratt, allegedly ran a stop sign and then had an altercation with the officers after pulling over into the driveway of her Gentilly home.

Pratt’s family said she had a bruised face and a wrist fracture from the incident.

The NOPD said it was reassigning the officers while an investigation is conducted by the Public Integrity Bureau. The PIB is expected to report its findings with the District Attorney's Office.

A spokeswoman for the FBI said the agency has launched a preliminary investigation to see if further investigation is warranted.

The local chapter of the NAACP had called for federal involvement.

According to Ms. Pratt’s family, three white NOPD officers, who have not yet been identified, were involved in the incident.

Early Tuesday, Pratt’s mother, Dulcie Scott, said she heard a knock on her door and screams for help because her daughter-in-law was being beaten by police officers.

“I couldn’t believe it; it just didn’t make any sense so I opened the door and at that point I saw the officer pulling Junie by the hair. He was pulling her and he was knocking her against the police car and he was doing it over and over again. She was trying to tell him ‘I’m Officer Pratt’s wife,’” said Scott.

The victim is married to Officer Desmond Pratt, a ten year veteran of the New Orleans Police Department. Scott said they were trying to reach him when the officer who stopped his wife called for back up. She said two more officers arrived on the scene.

“One just walked in and punched her in the face and then she went down and then she falls down to the ground,” said Scott, who maintained it did not stop there and at one point an officer struck her as well.

“And then they all three were on top of her. All three were on top so I was yelling for them to stop so the main one came running after me and pushed me into the gutter and then he told me stop your mouth or you’ll be arrested too,” she said.

Police Chief Warren Reilly said the victim allegedly ran a stop sign at the intersection of Elysian Fields and Gentilly. He said the officer followed her to her home and at some point there was an altercation.

Reilly said the victim sustained a bruise to her face, a hairline fracture to her wrist, and a scratch across her forehead.

“She stated that it was three white NOPD officers,” said Reilly.   

Reilly said an investigation was underway and if necessary there would be swift and severe action.

Meanwhile, Dulcie Scott’s brother Randolph Scott, who is Vice President of the NAACP, said he was surprised by what happened to his family but not shocked.

“It appears as though with the shrinkage of the police force that has occurred that we still have rogue police officers on the force and they still mean African-Americans harm in this city,” said Scott.

The victim in the case was arrested and charged with running a stop sign, resisting arrest, and battery on a police officer.

Reilly said in the last four months the department has fired 86 officers for neglect, battery, and abandonment.