New report accuses Mayor Latoya Cantrell of improperly halting New Orleans Police Department officer promotions

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — A new report from the New Orleans Civil Service Commission finds that New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell tried to manipulate police department promotions.

The ruling states that the mayor instructed NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick to pause the process back in September because Cantrell said the deputy chiefs were biased in the way they ranked the candidates for promotion.

Ultimately, Kirkpatrick decided to bring in an outside panel to review the scores.

“They ranked the candidates using the criteria of the department and they ranked the candidates in the same manner that the deputy chiefs did,” Metropolitan Crime Commission President Rafael Goyeneche said.

In fact, the Civil Service Commission found that Cantrell halted the process in an attempt to benefit a specific candidate, Lt. Sabrina Richardson.

Richardson was disciplined back in 2022 and demoted from captain to lieutenant.

Due to her history, her score was dropped from third best to eighth best.

Kirkpatrick testified that Cantrell directed her to make sure Richardson was put back in third place. Kirkpatrick refused.

“This was a decision made by the mayor, and civil service basically cut through the veil of secrecy and said there was no merit for the promotion process to be paused or halted,” Goyeneche said.

Even more damaging for the mayor is that when she was called to testify before the Civil Service Commission, the mayor “pleaded the fifth,” refusing to comment at the risk of implicating herself in potential wrongdoing.

According to the New Orleans city charter, when an employee of the city does that, it may cost the employee their job.

“There is the potential that the mayor can be removed from office for refusing to testify before civil service,” Goyeneche said.

The City of New Orleans issued the following statement:

The City of New Orleans respectfully disagrees with the findings of the Civil Service Commission and affirms that Mayor LaToya Cantrell did not interfere with the recent promotional process.

The NOPD acknowledges the Commission’s report concerning the promotional process for the ranks of Major and Captain and is currently reviewing the conclusions and related documentation. While we recognize and respect the Commission’s important role in upholding civil service rules and procedures, the City remains firmly committed to maintaining a fair, transparent, and merit-based process—one that fully complies with legal standards, departmental policy, and the Consent Decree.
City of New Orleans

The NOPD issued the following statement:

The New Orleans Police Department is aware of the findings released by the Civil Service Commission concerning the recent promotional process for the ranks of Major and Captain.

We respect the authority and oversight of the Commission. The NOPD remains committed to maintaining a promotional process that is fair, transparent, and in full compliance with the Civil Service Rules, the Consent Decree, and departmental policy.

Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick has consistently prioritized integrity and adherence to process, and the department will continue to uphold these standards moving forward.
New Orleans Police Department

Read the full report on the city’s website.

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