NEW ORLEANS — At the same time early descriptions such as “uninspiring” were coming in about some of the semi-finalists for the NOPD chief candidates from the panelists interviewing them, City Council Vice-President Helena Moreno dropped a bomb Friday that is signaling a rocky road ahead.
Moreno said she will not “vote to confirm any nominee” without an explanation from the national search firm about the process it used to come up with the six semi-finalists.
In a letter, Moreno wrote that she is a “no” vote on the Mayor Cantrell’s nominee “unless the Council receives the resumes of all 6 finalists, scores from IACP on the finalists, and an explanation from IACP as to how they narrowed the list of 33 to these 6 finalists.”
Moreno is referring to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the national organization being paid $90,000 to conduct the national search for the next permanent NOPD superintendent.
The city announced that 33 people applied for the job, a list that the IACP narrowed to six, including interim Chief Michelle Woodfork. Those six candidates started undergoing interviews Thursday at Gallier Hall with a panel of 11 “external stakeholders,” including representatives of the police associations, business community and officials such as State Police Superintendent Col.
Lamar Davis and City Council member Oliver Thomas.
The panelists were given packets with the candidates’ resumes, but almost no time to conduct independent research of their backgrounds. The free-for-all on background searches has led to the media and concerned citizens to uncover significant baggage, such as the 2014 killing of a man during a fight by candidate Thedrick Andres Sr. who was later cleared of criminal charges in the homicide.
“These were the six best people out of the 33?” Council President J.P. Morrell asked. “It’s almost like…there’s a concentrated effort to make sure that our local middleweight is only fighting lightweights.”
The local candidate Morrell is referring to Woodfork, the presumed front-runner to be the choice of Mayor LaToya Cantrell.
The council’s concerns are not just symbolic but could carry significant weight thanks to a council confirmation requirement that will be tested for the first time since it was overwhelmingly approved by voters in November.
“As councilmembers have stated repeatedly,” Moreno wrote in her letter, “transparency is essential in the selection of the new Chief.”
“So far,” she wrote, “that has been lacking.
Gregory Joseph, spokesman for the mayor, said he is baffled by Moreno’s position after the council requested the national search.
“This is the national search they wanted. This is the search they funded. And that’s exactly what we’re doing. I don’t know what they’re complaining about,” he said.
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