By Jessica Young
NYT Institute

At a glance, the 5th District is like any other police district in New Orleans. Officers come in and out of the precinct. Detectives pour over paper work. The commander goes from meeting to meeting.

But what is not as evident is the spiritual bond officials in the district share. To discover this aspect, one must go into the offices and see Bibles lining bookshelves and crosses mounted on walls.

One could also inquire and hear the conversations between the officers, especially those from Captain Lawrence Weathersby and Lieutenant Fred Bates.

“The 5th district philosophy is ‘Be positive, be professional, be proactive,’” Weathersby said. “The entire office is saved. They don’t curse in this building; they do not disrespect each other.”

Weathersby is commander of the 5thDistrict; however, on Sundays, he assumes the role of a pastor at New Homes Family Ministry in Slidell, La. In the church, he leads his congregation through Bible lessons just as he leads the precinct through police procedure.

“The anointing flows down from the head to the bottom,” he said. “Leadership passes down their blessings and it goes all the way down to the bottom.”

Then there is Bates, who is a part of the 5th District Integrity Control and is working towards his ordination at Cornerstone United Methodist located in New Orleans East. He perceives his role in church as extensive –a role that does not end at the close of service on Sunday.

“My pastor says church begins when you walk outside the doors,” he said. “So what we call ‘going to church’ is a misnomer.’ Church is all the time.”

Annetter Lewis, an officer in the 5th District and Bates’ sister, said the office has a spiritual overlay, and she would not want to lose the camaraderie. .

“Everyone in the administrative office has a relationship with God,” Bates said. “Not to say everybody is perfect, but everybody is working on getting closer to God.”

According to Bates, Weathersby’s leadership plays an active role in setting an example for everyone else.

“Everyone sees there are certain things you just don’t tolerate, and you will do what is right even when there is no one looking,” he said.

Weathersby does not confuse his religion with his duty as commander, but he admits the significance of each job lends itself to the other.

“You have to draw on your faith,” he said. “The 5th district is the most violent district in the city. When it comes to violent crimes, they cross all lines— lines of faith, economic lines and racial lines. The police department has to break down those barriers.”

The police captain said the demographics of the 5th District contribute to criminal activity. Of the nearly 120,000 people in the district, about 70 percent of them are in five member families that earn less than $12,000 a year in income, he said.

“Violence is perpetuated by the demographics, and what makes me so mad is that these young men out here have no conflict resolution skills,” he said. “They look at it like, ‘if it attacks me, kill it.’”

The 5th district has had 25 murders this year. Both the church and police officers are staples in these violent, but church-centered communities, and the two entities often join together to reduce community crime.

Bates feels the church must have a focus and goal in order to change the problems in the community.

“We have to be mission minded to get things done,” he said. “Without a mission, there is no purpose, and without a purpose you can not solve a problem.”

Pastor Antoine Barriere of Household of Faith in New Orleans, led a group of ministers and the men of their congregations in a movement to minister to the people in the street. The group loaded vans and rode through the city doing “Holy Ghost Drive-bys.” After six months, these “drive-bys” reduced crime by 7 percent.

Barriere worked with the 5th district to carry out the “Drive Bys.” He recalled Weathersby as a constant aide and support.

“He had the resources we needed such as cars and boards to board up particular properties such as crack houses,” he said.

Barriere said relations between the New Orleans Police Department and communities it serves have been complicated and conflicted, but Weathersby works on correcting this problem.

“There are people in there now, such as Weathersby that really want to say, ‘Hey let’s turn this around,’” he said. “He is not just sitting behind a desk. He’s from the community and he touches the community. And maybe this is because he is a man of God. Whenever it was someone to stand up in the Bible, it was often one man, like Moses, Joseph, and Abraham.”

Weathersby is humble when asked about the many accolades that dress his office walls. He speaks deliberately and clearly, especially when it comes to addressing the social problems in his district.

“We have got drug dealers living with these single moms, but won’t marry them so they can stay on welfare,” he said. “And the dealer goes out and gets the money, but it can’t be accounted for because it’s drug money. So, when they come around to do the census, you’ve got all this poverty. There are so many problems. I could keep you here all day to list them.”

Weathersby graduated high school with an academic scholarship to Xavier University in 1986. After his freshmen year, he was failing. He left school and decided to take a year off. One year became 10, and he had lost sight of his original goal. Now, years later, he has received his bachelor’s, master’s, and is working on his doctorate. This wealth of experience added wisdom and insight, which he uses to mentor to his officers.

“When someone comes to me with a problem, I say, who you are is an influence from your past experiences, are you going to let that past be who you are today? Or will you learn from it?” he said.

Weathersby isn’t the only one who contributes to the progress in the 5th District. The other officers have been integral in reaching the community.

“In spite of (the 5th District) being in a place of drugs and a haven of crime, there are those there those want to make a change,” Barriere said. “The odds are against them, but it doesn’t take much to get God to do a whole lot.”

Bates praises Barriere’s efforts, and he believes the united efforts need to be followed by a broad approach to the community

“You have to reach the community from a multi-pronged standpoint,” he said of policing the streets. “You must address social economics, job training, and all the things the people need.”

Bates felt a calling to the ministry when he was 17 years old, after he gave his life over to God. Right before he became an officer, he began his path to ordination.

“Your spirituality helps because you can deal with people on a spiritual level,” he said. “Not all problems are strictly law enforcement, sometimes you have to get on another level.”

Life as a pastor-in-training helps Bates police. Life as a cop helps Bates preach.

“You know in church, people come all dressed nice, but in the streets, people are bare-bones,” he said. “You see the greater urgency for spirituality.”

When he teaches Bible study on Wednesdays, Bates stands, Bible in hand – the same hand seen resting on his holster during his day job. Pacing back and forth, reaching out to the attentive group, he uses call and response to keep everyone’s attention:
“Say, I am—-”
“Blessed!”
“Say I am the head and not the—-.”
“Tail!”
“In Christ we have a lot of potential, a lot of ability, but without God we are—”
“Nothing!”