Overall, Ferguson's work history, coupled with interviews with fellow cops, community members and other public officials, shows an officer equally comfortable charging through doors as shaking hands. Fergusons Algiers home emerged unscathed, aside from losing power. As the New Orleans City Council approved the city budget for the upcoming year, including a package of incentives for recruiting and retaining New Orleans Police officer, councilmember at-large J.P. Morrell repeated his desire to see NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson replaced. Woman, 73, Was Allegedly Dragged to Death in Carjacking by 4 Teens I will still be your neighbor, and I will always be a part of the city that I love so much.. To the men and women of the New Orleans Police Department, I love you," Ferguson said. "Copyright 2023 The City of New Orleans"|Report Fraud|Site Policies & Information. We were a close-knit unit, Ferguson said of his early days. A New Orleans Advocate analysis of the citys 911 database suggests that crime actually rose by 25 percent during Fergusons tenure there, outstripping the citywide 11 percent increase. Reform-minded Superintendent Richard Pennington, hired in 1994, had managed to put the department on a new course. Shaun Ferguson, veteran of Uptown policing, chosen as new NOPD IN FACT, HE SAYS ORLEANS MAYOR LATOYA CANTRELL ASKED HIM TO RECONSIDER. Ferguson told McMain students at the rally that by spearheading the event and planning a march to City Hall, they demonstrated their leadership to the community. Equitable Business Opportunities (EBO) Program, Community Assets and Investment, Office of, Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, New Orleans Office of, Information Technology and Innovation, Office of, Municipal and Traffic Court of New Orleans, Neighborhood Engagement, Mayor's Office of, New Orleans Municipal Employees Retirement System, New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORD), Public Library, New Orleans (Main Branch), NOPD Searching for Suspects in Third District Shooting, MAYOR CANTRELL TO ATTEND U.S. CONFERENCE OF MAYORS WINTER LEADERSHIP MEETING AND ASPEN IDEAS: CLIMATE CONFERENCE IN FLORIDA, Alcoholic Beverage Outlet (ABO) Processing Fee, NOPD InvestigatingHomicidein Fifth District, MAYOR CANTRELL ISSUES STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF BOB TUCKER, Mayor's Neighborhood Engagement Office Announces Launch of New Civic Leadership Academy Cohort, TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Temporary Lane Closure at 1400 Block of St. Charles Avenue, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS CELEBRATES COMPLETION OF $6.4 MILLION ROADWORK PROJECT IN WEST END, NOPD to Conduct Upcoming Sobriety Checkpoints on March 9, March 16, Including victim assistance, accident and incident reports, and how to file complaints or commendations, Professional Standards & Accountability Bureau, Traffic Signals/Signs/Striping/Streetlights. 3 Reasons The Mayor Should Choose Shaun Ferguson's Successor RIGHT NOW "To the men and women of this city, I love you. What I can take credit for is taking individuals and bringing the best out of individuals and making them a team, he said. Despite speculation from some political insiders, Ferguson said he had never had a conversation with Cantrell about the chiefs job before last month. Ferguson quickly received a reminder that being the top cop comes with greater scrutiny. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell on Jan. 14 announced the 46-year-old Ferguson as her choice to replace former chief Michael Harrison, who has taken a job as police commissioner in Baltimore. First Emanuel's pastor, the Rev. NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson will retire at the end of the month, according to a press release from the mayor's office on Tuesday. Ferguson said he first met Cantrell as a lieutenant in the 2nd District, where he served from 2012 to 2014. BUT IT STARTS, AS I SAID LAST WEEK WITH COMMUNICATION. Before this, he commanded NOPDs Fourth District from 2014 to 2016. FILE - New Orleans Police Supt. "About Jonette Williams:Jonette Williams spent most of her career working in the Public Affairs Division and the Fourth District.Williams was recently promoted to Deputy Superintendent in June. Ferguson issued the following statement regarding his retirement: "I want to thank Mayor Cantrell and her administration for their constant support over the past four years. He gave this city his very best the safety and wellbeing of each and every resident and visitor was always his top priority," said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Ferguson's final walk and salute will be held outside of Gallier Hall on Thursday, Dec. 22 at 11 a.m.About Ferguson: Sources say Jonette Williams could be named the next NOPD superintendent. He has a bachelors degree in business administration from Southern University of New Orleans, NOPD said in a 2015 news release about his promotion to 2nd District commander. He will be sworn in Friday. Shaun Ferguson addresses the recent uptick in crime during a news conference on Jan. 19, 2022, in New Orleans. Williams would make history by becoming the first female Superintendent in NOPD history. She was then assigned as a Lieutenant in the 1st District before being promoted to the rank of Captain in November of 2021. Why The New Orleans Police Department Is In Trouble 29 - Forbes Ferguson saw the department through COVID-19 and two years of the highest violent crime rates since Hurricane Katrina.He also navigated the department at a time when the police commission says there is a critical shortage of officers. It appears the Mayor might appoint his replacement immediately, in order to avoid the January 1st City Charter change that gives the City Council approval powers. In August 2015, during jury selection for veteran 4th District Officer Michael Thomassies trial on allegations of raping a 7-year-old girl, Thomassie received a pair of text messages from Ferguson. You just let the city know, no we will not let this unfortunate situation dictate who we are, Ferguson said at the time. 1 priority, said Ronal Serpas, a former NOPD superintendent who teaches at Loyola University. We went out there every day with courage, determination.. Before this, he commanded NOPDs Fourth District from 2014 to 2016. It was during this period, on March 28, 2001, that Barnes was shot in the Fischer complex. From a nearly 50-year low in homicides in 2019, shootings and murders have surged across the city. I also want to thank the men & women of the NOPD for their continued hard work and service its citizens. The city brought in a team of consultants last summer from New York City to revamp the shrunken force, as the mayor faced increasing pressure from business leaders for a leadership change at the top of NOPD. He was promoted to that job in March 2014, near the end of former superintendent Ronal Serpas tenure. I have not stopped talking to Chief Harrison since he left. When Ive taken people to jail I have encouraged them to have a better life, to make a better decision, he said. "I am grateful for the opportunity we had to work so closely together to improve our citys public safety through a collaborative, holistic approach and through working in tandem with other City departments. I think Shauns biggest challenge was he continued to be asked to do great things with less and less people each day, and little political support to make recruiting and retention the governments No. After 24 years of dedicated public service to the City of New Orleans, Superintendent Shaun Ferguson will retire at the end of this year. The cause of Glover's death was kept under wraps for years. The 2nd District also includes the mayors neighborhood of Broadmoor. At the time of his appointment to Chief, he was serving as the Commander of the Educational and Training Division, which oversees the police academy. He has to go through his due process, just as any other individual whos accused of any criminal wrongdoing.. NOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WONDERING WHY HE ADDRESSED THAT EARLIER TODAY. Submit request online His first court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday morning. FERGUSON ALSO SURE TO ADDRESS HIS CRITICS, SOME OF WHOM WORK AT CITY HALL. shooting in gentilly new orleans The crucible of Algiers, an area apart from the rest of New Orleans with its own history of violence and police brutality, helped shape the 21-year NOPD veterans approach to the job. At the same time, I dont think anybody wanted Ferg to fail.. He also thanked Cantrell for supporting him throughout his tenure as chief, saying she often stood by his side when others called for him to stand down. Ferguson rose up as a beat cop in the 4th District, patrolling the Fischer public housing development in Algiers. Ed Chervenak, a political scientist at UNO, said that he expects Cantrell to do so, and doubted that it would change her already sour relationship with the council. I did not ever imagine myself on the other side of the desk as the commanding officer, he said. Published Dec 7, 2022 at 5:23 pm | Updated Dec 8, 2022 at 7:53 am. A majority of City Council members were among those chafing at word that Cantrell has already chosen a successor in Jonette Williams, a deputy police chief who would become the first woman to lead the NOPD. Shaun Ferguson tells WGNO that she had been a nine-year veteran of the NOPD and called the event horrible news. Nummer 2 - 2018; Nummer 1 - 2018; 2017. The team quickly won recognition for their hands-on approach. The summer after graduating high school, he also worked as a deputy for the Orleans Parish Sheriffs Office, guarding inmates at the jail. Ferguson oversaw a department plagued by steep officer losses and few new recruits to replace them, while facing criticism over a lack of a plan to deal with the surge in violence as the force shrank. Ferguson's monthly financial retirement package would be $12,524 if he chooses not to work for a police department following his retirement from the NOPD, according to the Louisiana Municipal Police Employees Retirement System. Ferguson emerged from the aftermath of Katrina with no known blotches on his record. Talking Book Topics March-April 2023 - National Library Service for the His sons legal problems aside, Ferguson said he is focused on the task of overseeing the roughly 1,200 officers who patrol what is still one of the countrys most dangerous cities. I also want to thank the men & women of the NOPD for their continued hard work and service its citizens. Richard Pennington, the only NOPD chief since 1980 who didnt rise through local law enforcement ranks, served eight years under former Mayor Marc Morial beginning in 1994, the city's high-water mark for deadly violence. Its unclear if Noel will remain in that role. He worked for a time as a supervisor in the homicide division. Follow Matt Sledge on Twitter, @mgsledge. Ferguson faced difficult times during his tenure as superintendent. Should Ferguson continue to work as a police officer in some capacity, he could keep contributing to his state retirement package. He also thanked Cantrell for supporting him throughout his tenure as chief, saying she often stood by his side when others called for him to stand down. "We need to get this right.". Superintendent Shaun Ferguson chastised journalists Tuesday (July 26) for . U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan earlier this year pumped the brakes on plans to move the NOPD into a two-year offramp from federal oversight. His tenure as Chief saw the national rise in crime due to the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, but under his diligent leadership, the NOPD persevered. City Council member Freddie King was among the majority on the council calling for Cantrell to follow the voter-approved confirmation process.