Consent Decree CAUSES Crime

NOPD Captain explains how the

Consent Decree costs us over
40,000 man hours of police
presence every single month.
It is hampering our efforts
and tying our hands.
Captain Michael Glasser

by Mike Weinberger
In an interview with the Crime Safety Reporter, Captain
Michael Glasser, who is also head of the Police Association of
New Orleans, explained how the Consent Decree approved in
court in 2013 is hurting anti-crime efforts in New Orleans.
While Glasser has many decades of experience, that is
hardly needed to reach his conclusion. For example, in 2013
there were 321 non-fatal shootings in the city, whereas in the
first half of 2017 we already have over 360 such shootings.
In other words, we are on pace for about 730 non-fatal
shootings this year. That is an increase since the signing of the
Consent Decree of about 230%.
MW: How does that affect morale?
MG: Officers feel as though there is no support from the
community, theres no support from the people they work for,
and that everything they do creates potential personal liability.
MW: Is that also causing us to lose officers?
MG: Yes, because police officers dont get that in other
jurisdictions. So after we hire and train people we lose them.
We lose them to Jefferson Parish, to St. Tammany, to
St. Bernard and to the State Police.
MW: Does the consent decree force officers to spend a
lot of time on paperwork, versus patrolling on the street?

Glasser explained how the Consent Decree is hampering MG: Yes.

police work in many different ways: Continued on page 3

The decree is extremely restrictive. Its labor intensive.
Theres a great deal of scrutiny, and theres a presumption that Mike Weinberger, a retired attorney and businessman, is the founder of the
officers are guilty of any complaint thats made against them. Home Defense Foundation, HdfNola.org

Crime Safety Reporter

Citizens want protection against crime !
Volume 1, Issue 4 August of 2017 Covering Greater New Orleans Locally owned The Citizens Voice
 Home Defense Shotgun FREE
Every month, the St. Bernard Indoor Shooting Center raffles off a free defensive firearm for se-
niors (60 or older). The raffle tickets are free and to be eligible you simply have to qualify to legally
own a firearm, you must attend the monthly meeting of the Home Defense Foundation, and you have
to be 60 or older. The meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at 7PM, at Morning
Call in City Park. The raffles are held at the meetings. After the raffle the firearm can be legally picked
up at the St. Bernard Center. This months raffle will be held August 1 and the prize is a home defense
shotgun. Next months raffle will be held September 5th and the prize will be a small, personal defense
carry firearm. Sorry, this raffle is for seniors only.

Websites: StBisc.com HdfNola.org

Crime Safety Reporter

Managing Editor
Robert Gage Counts
Contributors (listed alphabetically):
Home Cookin is Our Speciality Jeff Crouere Adrianna Eschete
Fresh & Made to Order Mark Ferreira Elbert Guillory
Brannon LeBouef William Wallis
Monday - Saturday 10:30am-3pm
Mike Weinberger Colleen Wood
SANDWICHES SALADS Why not you?

BURGERS HOT LUNCHES Contact info:

TOP RATED SEAFOOD Ads@CrimeSafetReporter.com
Editor@CrimeSafetyReporter.com
Down Central Ave East on Ellen St Down 1 Letters@CrimeSafetyReporter.com
block. Look for the RED DOOR
Published by Neighborhood Media, LLC
4304 Ellen St, Jefferson, LA (504) 846-3545
p3
Consent Decree, continued from page 1
MW: Lets give an example. Lets say someone is pulling on
car door handles to see if they are locked, and a cop sees him and
questions him, how might that scenario play out?
MG: Suppose the officer says: What are you doing? and this
guy puts his hand in his pocket. What is in his pocket? A gun? A
knife? Why did he put his hand in his pocket? The officer doesnt
know, so he might have to reach for his taser as a precaution - and just
that act, drawing his taser without even using it, is considered a use of
force and it triggers a lot of paperwork.
Just reaching for your taser can
result in hours of paperwork.
MW: Please explain
MG: Under the consent decree if you draw your taser you have
to notify your superior that a use of force incident took place. Then,
the use of force is graded. And depending on the grade a supervisor
may have to get involved, or a Force Investigation Team. And then
the paperwork gets reviewed and after that the grade assigned to the use
of force can be changed, which could require more involvement from
other police personnel - and more paperwork.
MW: And now we are talking about hours of paperwork?
MG: Correct. And while he is filling out the paperwork the
officer cant be on the street protecting people.
MW: Does the decree discourage pro-active policing?
MG: Absolutely, because if you are pro-active you can draw
scrutiny, The officer thinks: Well, if I stop this guy it will trigger a
variety of circumstances all of which may result in the guy making a
complaint against me. That can open an investigation which prevents
me from being transferred or promoted or may restrict my opportunities
for private detail, which is after hours work. So why would I stop the
guy if I dont have to?
MW: Do criminals know they can make complaints against
officers, even if the complaints are totally unwarranted?
MG: Yes, and they take advantage of it. And even if the officer
is totally innocent the complaint can take 6 months to process, and it
stays in the officers file forever. So the bottom line is, why would I
bring that upon myself if I dont have to?
MW: Ive heard from a lot of people that the decree is hamper-
ing police efforts and tying their hands, is that so?
MG: Absolutely.
MW: Has the consent decree also taken cops out of public
areas, like supermarket parking lots or streets like Magazine Street?
MG: Yes. The decree changed the whole way private details
are handled. Private companies like supermarkets used to hire off duty
cops in private details totaling about 55,000 hours a month. And that
was putting cops out in public that the taxpayers did not have to pay for.
Now it is down to about 13,000 hours per month. We have lost about
40,000 hours of public police presence every single month.
On average, fewer than 5 or 10 cops
to patrol up to 3,000 city blocks
MW: Lets talk about patrols. Public Works says there are about
24,000 city blocks in New Orleans. Since we have 8 police districts,
each one may have 3,000 blocks to patrol. But even if it was only
1,000, what kind of manpower do we have to patrol so many blocks?
MG: We start with about 1,100 officers total, but that includes
about 100 on limited duty and about 50 in the academy, so we
probably have, at best, maybe 950. But then you have to subtract
officers working in the Administrative Bureau that runs headquarters and
also the Internal Affairs Bureau, the Detective Bureau and the Compliance
Bureau that makes sure we are complying with the decree. So all you
have left for street patrol is about 60 or 70 officers per district.
MW: That has to cover seven days a week, 24 hours, right ?
MG: Correct. And during each work shift you also have to
subtract a desk officer, quality of life officer, district commander, etc.
MW: So at any given point in time, during a work shift, to
patrol, say, 1,000 blocks or more, each district might have 5 or 10 cops
actually on patrol on the street?
MG: Normally there would be fewer. And those officers on
patrol are usually handling calls that have already come in, after an
event has already taken place. So the bottom line is that they have no
time to stop somebody and be proactive unless it is something that
they absolutely must intervene on.
How does this affect citizen safety?
See our editorial on the back cover.
New Orleans Private Patrol
FREE consultation
1620 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70130 (504) 525-7115 nopplpp.com
Your ad here, $100
A quarter page business ad in the
Crime Safety Reporter is only $100. A
half page is $190 and a full page is $350.
Thousands of copies are distributed in
hundreds of locations in Orleans and Jefferson.
At this price, why not give it a try?
Email Ads@CrimeSafetyReporter.com
and we will contact you promptly.
We reserve the right to reject any proposed ads.
The above rates do not apply to non-business ads.
Our prevention is your
protection.
In todays world, security is a complicated matter. Sooner or
later youre going to need more than just a guard, and well
be ready when you need us.
Commercial & residential motorized patrol
Systems design & consulting
Armed and unarmed security officers
CCTV surveillance systems
Larry Elder:
More money will not solve
the problems of the underclass
In the 50 years following
President Lyndon John-
sons launch of the war on
poverty in 1964, govern-
ment has spent over $22 tril-
lion on welfare and various
anti-poverty programs. The
problem in our nations inner
cities is not a lack of money - it is a moral and spiritual
problem largely created by our welfare state. The welfare
system encourages women to marry the government - and
it allows men to abandon their financial and moral respon-
sibilities. The problem is fatherlessness.
 Harrison Ave Merchants Speak Out Against Crime
p5

by R. Gage Counts came in the back door of our restaurant, demanding money. After they
tried to rob us, they went across the river and robbed a gas station.
How do merchants on Harrison Avenue feel about crime? To
Between videos from our cameras and the Post Office cameras, NOPD
find out, we asked a few of them. This is what we learned:
figured out who it was.

David Jinx, the manager and lead stylist at Stardust, a salon
He added that he wasnt sure if that incident made potential
with multiple locations, thought the relatively low crime rate in
customers worried about eating there. People are worried about crime
Lakeview helped business. Ive worked at other salons in New
wherever they go now. Just because you hear about it more in certain
Orleans where we had people robbed after they left - and they
neighborhoods, doesnt mean its not going on everywhere.
wouldnt come back. More and more people are becoming aware
of where the crime is, and theyre staying away from those areas.
Max Gruening, the owner of Kozs, is another Lakeview
business owner who is no stranger to crime. Prior to Hurricane
While Jinx isnt worried about his Harrison Avenue
Katrina, when he and his father operated their restaurant in Gentilly, a
salon experiencing crime, he admits it would harm business if it
restaurant owner across the street was murdered. Thankfully, he hasnt
did. Yeah, we would see less of our older clientele if something
been around anything that bad since moving to Lakeview.
happened. We would definitely lose business, he said.
One reason is because of neighborhood participation, said
For some businesses on Lakeviews main commercial
Gruening. Theres a very strong neighborhood here. We also have
street becoming a crime location is not a hypothetical scenario.
the Lakeview Crime Prevention District, which does an excellent job.
For example, Shawn Toups, the owner of Lakeview Harbor said:
We were robbed a year ago last week. Two people with guns R. Gage Counts is the Managing Editor of this newspaper

Excellence in renovation and

construction.

Complete building specialists,

residential and commercial.

Northshore and Southshore.

tel. (504) 322 7050

website: www.mlm-inc.com

FREE ESTIMATES Please read our customer reviews at houzz.com

 Graham Bosworth, Attorney
FREE initial consultation
when you mention this ad.

We handle all types of legal issues, including

successions, wills, personal injury, criminal
defense, business creation and litigation.

700 Camp Street, New Orleans (504) 528 9500

Thoughtful Discussion Harolds Plants

of local and national issues, every weekday
morning. Listen to Jeff Crouere on the radio. The best selection of indoor &
outdoor plants in New Orleans.

WGSO
990 on the
AM Dial

Weekdays 1135 Press Street

7-11 AM (504) 947-7554
 Where do the Candidates for Mayor Stand on Crime ?
p7

by Jeff Crouere With a rising murder rate and an increase our neighborhoods. She wants to work outside the NOPD to
in shootings, public safety is undoubtedly the create an equitable criminal justice system and supports diversion
top issue on the mind of New Orleans voters. and alternative sentencing programs.

In less than three months those voters will
pick a new mayor - so here is a rundown on
how the top five mayoral candidates would
address the crime issue:
Michael Bagneris. The former Civil Court Judge wants to stop
the morale loss at NOPD with decent pay, decent retirement and
innovative training strategies. He vows to give the entire criminal
justice system, including the District Attorneys office an adequate
budget. Bagneris also pledges to re-start the community policing
program, stringently enforce vagrancy laws and wage a non-stop
war against drug dealers. He also calls for an immediate increase
of police officers and developing a long-range retention plan.
LaToya Cantrell. The District B Councilwoman says the best way
to stop crime is to provide opportunities for citizens, noting
nothing stops a bullet like a job. She will empower her Police
Chief to reduce crime through building trust and confidence in
Desiree Charbonnet. The former Municipal Court Judge vows to
increase NOPD funding by using various millages that would raise
$10.25 million annually. She wants to reduce funds for the consent
decree monitor, and wants that office to reform police details. She
promises a nationwide search for a new police chief and 80-100 new
officers per year by offering housing incentives. Lastly, she wants
a new rapid-response unit to handle ongoing crimes.
Troy Henry. The businessman wants to focus on eliminating the
root cause of crime by bringing better jobs to New Orleans. His goal
is to create up to 50,000 new jobs through Fortune 500 companies.
Frank Scurlock. The entrepreneur vows to recruit new officers to bring
the NOPD to full employment through housing incentives. He believes
that bicycle and foot patrols in neighborhoods should be reestablished. He
claims that non-violent offenders should not be imprisoned and that after
school programs should be established for youths in at-risk neighborhoods.
Jeff Crouere, a New Orleans native, can be reached at JeffCrouere.com

A leader in smart kitchen and bathroom design.

Cabinetry, countertops, hardware and installation provided to
the consumer at Get what you pay for, prices. This locally
owned retailer has exactly what you need for your next project.
Showroom conveniently located in Harahan.

Free estimates
1418 Edwards Avenue
Harahan, LA 70123
(504) 261 6959
frenchquarterfacades.com
Lake Vista Increases Security
p8

by Jamal Meloncon
Police officials and board members of Lake Vistas Crime
Prevention District met July 17 to provide updates on cameras and
patrolling. Third Dist. Commander Keith Zilibich gave the report
on cameras - Levee Dist. Captain Craig Boudreaux was also present.

Zibilich said some cameras have been relocated and others
had their angles adjusted, such as license plate cameras. Theres
no way to enter Lake Vista without being caught on camera, he
noted. A new remote access system for the cameras has also been
installed, which Zilibich will train Homeland Security to operate.

Boudreaux said he will hire 5 - 6 more district officers in

the next three months and that they will patrol more frequently,
especially on Lakeshore Drive.

Carol Asher, Lake Vista Crime Prevention District president,
applauded the levee polices presence, and she encouraged communication
between residents and both the NOPD and the levee police.

Jamal Meloncon is a reporter who also writes for the Gentilly Messenger
and the Loyola University Maroon

10% Off
Bike Accessories
Coupon expires 8/30

1426 S Carrollton Ave

(504) 861-0023
 Heard On The Street
People on Baronne St. were asked:

How important is crime to you in the

upcoming city elections?

Steve Muniak: Crime is 100% important

to me. Ive been robbed myself here I am
leaving this area because of a crime. Im
moving to Denver. Ive been here 27 years.
Theres more homeless people theres more
crazy people on the street.

Joseph Amico: Crime is the major issue

for me. We all want to feel safe in our
city. Safety is always a big issue.

Luke Caruso: Oh, I think crime is very

important. But I dont think Ive heard
enough yet from the candidates about it, and
what I have heard I wasnt impressed with.
Join us
Monday thru Friday Erle Thornton: Crime is very important.
They need to find out what the problem

3pm-6pm for Happy Hour! is, and we need to get more police
officers in the area.

Half off Raw Oysters!

Half off Select Premium Cocktails
Beer and Wines by the Glass!
1838 Napoleon Avenue
Brian Gibbons: Crime is pretty important,
especially with New Orleans being
primarily a tourist city and trying
join other modern cities that prioritize
crime. Hopefully its a major issue for
the candidates.

(504) 895-4877
 SECURITY LIGHTING
We carry a full line of security lighting, as well as
all types of interior and exterior lighting fixtures.

Any single lighting or gift item,

20% OFF sale and close-out items excluded,
limit one coupon per customer.
Expires 8/30/17

Visit our lighting showroom at

3600 Orleans Avenue, New Orleans
(504) 486 0094 armstrongslighting.com

Quality lumber. Family owned.

WILSON BOURG LUMBER AND BUILDING SUPPLY

Ask about our FREE delivery service

We have been business since 1938.

Contractor grade rental tools also available.

Most deliveries can be made the same day.

A family owned business you can trust.

 Looking to buy or sell? Get Involved !
You CAN make a difference !
Oh, whats the use ? - Thats what most people think. They
think they cant change what the government does, like when they
release violent criminals on the street again and again.

But you would be surprised at how easy it is to change the way

Christine Bates will take the stress out of it for you
Office (504) 361-8055
Cell (504) 201-7636
Christine.Bates@cbtec.com
government works when just a few people get involved. For example,
ten people, thats right - just 10 - blocked a terrible law from passing
recently by visiting the State Legislature and speaking their minds.
See 2016 - Self Defense Law Saved at HdfNola.org for the story.
How is it done ? The first step is to get with a group of people
who think like you. That means coming to a meeting of the Home
Defense Foundation, HdfNola.org, and working with neighbors who
know how to change the law.

And besides, HDF meetings are fun. Attendance is free and

there is always free raffle with many prizes. The meetings are only an
hour long and feature good speakers, such as Stacey Head and Sheriff
Newel Normand. So come to a meeting, make new friends and get
Each office independently owned and operated involved. Remember, we can win !

Secure your home or business 24/7

Ornamental Iron Fencing
Automatic Driveway
gates
Access Control
Security Storm Doors
Window Guards
Fire Exits
Security Screens
Hand Railing
Door Gates
Wood & Chain-link
$100.00 OFF Fences

50 ft or more perimeter fence Youll feel secure 7010 Washington Ave.

Expires August 31, 2017 when you call the New Orleans, LA 70125
best! (504) 488-4828 securityiron.net
 The place for scooters
in New Orleans

Sales and Service

2713 St. Claude Ave. M - F 9 AM - 5 PM
Sat 9 AM - 1 PM
(504) 224 - 2787 Sunday: Closed

ScootsNola.com Free estimates

on repair work
Visit Our Showroom !

Evergreen Lawn Care

supports the

Crime Safety Reporter

Good Luck !

Evergreen Lawn Care

1122 West Drive, Westwego
(504) 341 2155
Bagneris Endorses Honest Citizen Pledge
Mayoral candidate Michael Bagneris endorsed the Honest Citizen
Pledge, at right, and signed his name to the pledge at the July meeting of
the Home Defense Foundation, HdfNola.org. Honest Citizen
Honest citizens should consider this a tremendous victory, said Pledge
HDF founder Mike Weinberger. All too often homeowners and other
honest citizens have been wrongfully arrested after they were forced to I pledge that when a criminal
defend themselves or their family during a criminal attack.
attacks an honest citizen, and
Mr. Barneris is the first major candidate for mayor to endorse the the citizen defends himself, I
pledge. Should he be elected mayor, he would have the authority to direct
his police superintendent NOT to arrest honest citizens who defend will resolve all doubts in favor
themselves during criminal attacks.
of the honest citizen defend-
In the past such citizens have frequently been arrested on specious ing himself. I will not resolve
grounds. Merritt Landry, for example, was arrested after defending his
home and pregnant wife from an intruder in 2013 - and Abraham Venson doubts in favor of the criminal
was arrested after defending himself against two intruders in 2015. who started the attack.
These arrests need to stop, said Weinberger. For more
information on the pledge go to HdfNola.org/Honest Citizen Pledge.

Signature Pest Control

Friendly Service. We treat your home like it was ours.

Free Estimates
when you mention this ad

(504) 259 - 8967

Call us with your questions ! Family owned !
 Letters to the Editor
20 Years For Marijuana - REALLY ? ?
Corey Ladd is the latest poster boy for sentencing reformers
who believe the state penitentiary is populated with low level pot
smokers. They portray him as a victim of an unjust criminal justice
system because he received a 20 year sentence for possessing a half
ounce of marijuana. But after looking into his case I discovered the
rest of his story. Here it is:
Ladd was originally arrested and charged with distribution of
cocaine, not marijuana, but the undercover officer who made the
arrest was later deployed overseas for military duty. Knowing that
the officer was unavailable as a witness, Ladd declined a plea deal.
As a result, the DA proceeded with a felony marijuana case from
a prior, different arrest and Ladd was found guilty on that charge,
which was his third marijuana possession conviction. That is the
real reason he got 20 years; he was a third time felony habitual offender.
Ladd has admitted that prior to incarceration he was an addict that
never did too much good. He claims that his incarceration made
him re-examine his choices in life. It is safe to assume that if Ladd
was not arrested for distributing cocaine to an undercover officer he
would have sold his cocaine on the street - and would likely still be
in the drug distribution business.
And here are some more facts: Ladd also had other prior felony
convictions, all of which resulted in probated sentences. Hence, he
had a few Second Chances to change his criminal behavior, all
before he was sent to the penitentiary on the marijuana charge.
Ladd was very fortunate that the new two-year limit on marijuana
possession was not in effect during his prosecution, because if it
was the DA would have done everything in his power to get the
officer needed for the cocaine distribution case back in court as a
witness. The DA only elected to pursue the marijuana case in lieu
of bringing the officer back from overseas because a 20-year prison
term was possible under the old law.
I believe that in the future prosecutors will not offer marijuana plea
deals to cocaine distributors - and I suspect that if Ladd had been
convicted in cocaine distribution case he would still be in the
penitentiary today.
Now you know the rest of the story.
Rafael Goyeneche, President
Metropolitan Crime Comm.
The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution
Not many years ago, usually in secondary school, students used
to study the reasons the thirteen colonies formed a new type of
governing structure for themselves - and the documents that
established how that new structure would operate. These documents
are the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Fast forward to 2017, and we find that far too many young people
cannot describe, in simple terms, what these documents say.
When our fundamental right of self-defense is threatened we rise
up, stand our ground, and fight to retain the freedoms we
inherited from those first patriots. Isnt it time for us to demand
that secondary schools again require courses which teach the
Declaration of Independence and the Constitution? Shouldnt we
demand local and state school boards adopt policies that support
the study of how our freedoms and liberties were established?
I say Yes - and it starts with each of us reacquainting ourselves
with those two hallowed documents.
Michael Buras
Likes the Crime Safety Reporter
I enjoy your publication and I look forward to future issues. I
support you and I thank you!
Michael Chemento
Suggestions for Citizen Safety
On July 11, 2017, I had the pleasure of attending my first meeting
of the Home Defense Foundation. The speaker was mayoral
candidate Michael Bagneris and he delivered an excellent presentation.
Unfortunately, the meeting adjourned before I could offer two
suggestions for more uniformed NOPD officers. Here they are:
First, hire civilian employees for clerical/administrative staff work
and put all POST-trained, uniformed, gun-toting officers on patrol
in our New Orleans streets and neighborhoods, and
Second, reinstitute/reinvigorate the NOPD Reserve Division,
composed of volunteers who are properly-trained and who are able
to carry firearms and wear the uniform. Put them on patrol.
Phillip Montelepre
 Your complete source for defensive firearms,
only 12 minutes from the French Quarter !
The St. Bernard Indoor Shooting Center

Home defense models

Personal carry models
Anti-carjacking models
We carry a full inventory. Certified instructors on the premises. Plenty of practice
lanes. Wide selection of rental firearms. Also pepper sprays, storage vaults and holsters.

Concealed Carry Permits: We teach the course !

FREE Range session for new customers. Never been here?

Bring your gear and practice for FREE. Expires 8/30

Friendly service ! Only a 12 minute drive !

Come in and say hello. Rampart St. St. Claude Av
e
French Marigny - Arabi
St. Bernard Indoor Shooting Center Quarter Bywater
212 Aycock Street, in Arabi 212
12 Minute Drive Aycock
(504) 982 5433 Stbisc.com Street
 Editorial
The NOPD Captains Lesson
What lesson we can learn from NOPD Captain
Michael Glasser ? When a former district commander with
decades of experience explains Police Officer Math we
should listen, and listen hard. (See his interview on page 1.)
The captain explained that we really do not have
about 1,000 cops on the street, certainly not patrolling
at any given time. Hundreds of cops do administrative,
internal or compliance related work, and so each district
only has 60 or 70 officers who actually patrol.
But those officers do not work 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week. So during any given work shift a district might
have fewer than 5 or 10 cops actually on patrol trying to
cover 1,000 or more city blocks - and those cops are mostly
responding after the fact to crimes that have already been
committed.
Covering all your maintenance needs, from body work to an oil
change to new shocks (potholes!).
By professional technicians
Import Auto Repair
Full Service Body Shop
A/C
501 River Road Jefferson, LA 70121 www.myuptownauto.com
Clearly, those 5 or 10 cops cannot patrol 1,000
blocks and actually prevent crimes before they take
place. Its just impossible. And even if we doubled the
number of cops it would still be impossible. So the
answer is obvious: The only one who can prevent you
from becoming a crime victim is you, and only if you
are trained, equipped and willing to resist.
So act on that knowledge. Do not ignore it.
And here is another lesson the captain taught us:
We need to get out of this disastrous consent decree.
Thankfully, Attorney General Sessions has indicated
flexibility on this. The decree is killing morale, multi-
plying paperwork, and has taken over 40,000 hours of
police presence off the street every month. This needs
to end, now. Mayoral candidates: Are you listening ?
Brakes
Computer Diagnostic
Electrical