NEW ORLEANS — The internal chaos and recent shakeup at the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office has led to considerable criticism of Sheriff Susan Hutson. Some of that disapproval has come from people already skeptical of Hutson, a first-time elected officeholder who came to the job with no experience overseeing a jail.
But following a series of controversies, many exposed by WWL-TV, even Hutson’s supporters are weighing in. While some are expressing disappointment over Hutson’s rocky first 10 months in office, most are hopeful that the sheriff’s recent dismissal of four top executives will present an opportunity to right the ship.
“I'm happy that it's happening now. I'm happy that it's happening before the one-year mark. I'm happy that there's still time for progress,” said Sade Dumas, former director of the Orleans Parish Prison Reform Coalition and a key Hutson campaign supporter.
WWL-TV exclusively obtained an audio tape recording of Hutson scolding the four top staffers who were eventually let go. In the roughly 10-minute tirade, she is heard scolding legal counsel Graham Bosworth, Chief Financial Officer David Trautenberg, Assistant Sheriff for Governance Pearlina Thomas, and Assistant Sheriff and head of internal affairs Kristen Morales.
“I feel so betrayed. Betrayed. And all the work that you do. The chaos that it's caused,” Hutson told the four top assistants just 14 days before she parted ways with them.
“I can't deal with this destructive behavior anymore. Just do your job,” Hutson warned. “If you can't do that, I'm going to walk you out of this office. Sooner rather than later.”
Two weeks later, on March 24, the four employees were escorted from the sheriff’s office and given a choice of resignation or termination. Three of them chose to leave immediately, while Morales is winding down her tenure with a 30-day transition period.
Dumas and other criminal justice reform activists were instrumental in getting Hutson elected. But campaigning is different than governing, and Dumas said the turmoil that marked Hutson's first 10 months needs to end.
“One could say that there were questionable hires,” Dumas said.
Dumas said. “One could say that people should have been let go sooner rather than later. But hindsight is 20-20.”
The most recent controversy to surface was Hutson’s decision to get hotel rooms for 13 top deputies who helped coordinate Mardi Gras parade security, some for 11 days and nights.
Before the nearly $20,000 in lodging was exposed to the public, the issue was the subject of a fierce internal debate within the sheriff’s office. Trautenberg wrote in an email that OPSO employees were ineligible for lodging, while Morales pushed for it.
While Morales prevailed and Hutson approved the hotel expenses, both Trautenberg and Morales are now out of a job.
Dumas faulted Hutson for letting internal feuds linger for nearly the entire time she’s been in office. But she said she is hopeful that Hutson has learned some hard-earned lessons.
“We can admit there are a lot of professional growing edges that the sheriff is experiencing,” Dumas said. “It's also very early. Not early enough to the point where we should not keep our eyes open or not admit that there is some chaos is happening, but early enough for her to shake things up and change it.”
And shake things up she did. But the dismissals came nearly a year after the turmoil gripped the office.
“We elected you to make the tough decisions,” Dumas said. “It's your job. Get it done.”