By Jessica Young
NYT Institute

NEW ORLEANS -- City police officers are divided over a proposal by Mayor Ray Nagin that would temporarily allow the police department to hire people who do not live in New Orleans to serve as police officers.

In his May 9 “State of the City” address Nagin stated Police Chief Edwin Compass needs more officers to increase police visibility and specialized cops to deal with gangs and assault weapons. Some officers in the 5th district support lifting the requirement.

Officers can still serve the community even if they choose not to live there, 5th District Officer Troy Daliet said.

The lack of officers in the city is evident and that the ban would help bring more to the area, said 5th District Officer William Labiche.

However, some say when the department experiences discord, officers who live outside the city do not feel the negative effects.

“When we went on strike, they didn’t come to work, but they still had police patrolling their areas. We didn’t,” said Officer T.Thomas, who lives inside Orleans parish.

In a May12 press release, the city’s branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People objected to the city’s proposal to waive the residency requirement.

“Police that live in our city can better protect our citizens because they have more knowledge about our culture, our habits, our psychology,” the release said.

Residents also have qualms with lifting the requirement.

Donna Solomon has a son who she said is often racially profiled by police. If the requirement is lifted, she said it would continue the problem.

“It should not be lifted because we are already having problems with our police department and our black men. To lift it will continue that. They should not feel like criminals just because of the color of their skin.”

However, residents often live and work in different places, resident Travis Sanders said.

“People leave New Orleans and go to Metairie, Laplace, and Kenner and why should anyone stop you? You can come to work in New Orleans in every job except the police department.”

Mayor Nagin said Tuesday that the city has tried to retain officers to no avail. “We have tried multiple recruiting techniques,” he said. “I personally don’t think lifting the residency requirements will be the panacea to solving everything with public safety. We ought to at least engage in a discussion and analysis of whether or not it can help.”

The mayor’s office will hold a press conference today to discuss the details of the policy.