City of N.O. Seeks Cop Watcher : NOLA Indymedia

The City of New Orleans posted the job announcement for a Independent Police Monitor who will work in the Office of Inspector General. The announcement was posted May 1 and applications will be accepted until May 31. [See the full text of the announcement below.]

Last fall, City Council unanimously passed an amendment to the Budget of the Office of Inspector General to create an Independent Police Monitor staff position. In an October 4, 2008 election, New Orleans residents overwhelmingly voted – seventy-seven percent – to have the Office of Inspector General be permanently funded with three-quarters of one percent of the city’s total budget. In 2009, it is equivalent to $3.3 million. They expect to employ about two dozen investigators and staff.

A local non-profit police accountability organization, Safe Streets Strong Communities, has been instrumental in pushing government figures to create a politically independent position to oversee police abuse in New Orleans. Upon hearing the job announcement, they sent out this urgent call for motivated, qualified and independent prosecutors of police corruption and abuse to apply:

“New Orleans Safe Streets/Strong Communities and other community members and advocates have been fighting for almost 10 years to win and implement an Independent Police Monitor. The job announcement has just been posted and the last leg of this campaign is to get the best candidate hired. To do that, we need to get the job announcement to as many great police oversight folks as possible and encourage them to apply!

We are asking that each of you to think long and hard about potential police oversight experts, reformers, lawyers etc who might be willing to move to New Orleans and help us clean out our police department once and for all. Please, please, please post this job announcement to appropriate lists and make phone calls etc to help us build a strong candidate pool.”

Applications are due May 31, 2009. Here’s the Job Announcement from the City of New Orleans:

The City of New Orleans, Office of Inspector General, is now accepting applications for the position of Independent Police Monitor. The Independent Police Monitoring Division is established within the Office of Inspector General. The Independent Police Monitor and all other division personnel shall be appointed by the Inspector General. The Independent Police Monitor shall monitor the New Orleans Police Department, particularly in the areas of: civilian and internally-generated complaints; internal investigations; discipline; use of force; and in-custody deaths. The Independent Police Monitor shall review and analyze the numbers and types of complaints; assess the quality and timeliness of New Orleans Police Department investigations; review the adequacy of data collection and analysis; review the public integrity bureau’s policies, procedures, and resource needs; conduct risk management reviews; review the operations and effectiveness of New Orleans Police Department “early warning system”; review specific issues regarding supervision, training, and discipline; conduct relevant pattern analysis; and other tasks to ensure New Orleans Police Department accountability, transparency, and responsiveness to the community it serves. Additionally, the Independent Police Monitor shall promulgate policies and procedures related to the referenced duties and responsibilities.

The Independent Police Monitor shall be an attorney with substantial experience in criminal, civil rights, and/or labor law, or corporate and/or governmental investigations; or an individual with at least five years’ experience in law enforcement oversight, preferably with a graduate degree. Knowledge of law enforcement, particularly of internal investigations of wrongdoing and uses of force, is essential. The independent police monitor shall possess impeccable integrity, sound judgment, and an ability to relate effectively with all those who have a stake in law enforcement including, but not limited to, residents of and visitors to New Orleans, the police department, other law enforcement agencies, and relevant parts of city government. The Independent Police Monitor shall possess an understanding of the city’s ethnic diversity, cultural traditions, and socio-economic situation.

The starting salary for this position $131,468. If given a conditional offer of employment, a qualifying psychological evaluation and a successful urinalysis is required. The successful candidate will be subject to an extensive background investigation, which includes a criminal history review. Candidates having any conviction for domestic violence will not be considered for this position.

Please send a detailed resume, letter of application, copies of college degrees or transcrips, and three letters of recommendation, postmarked no later than May 31, 2009 to:

Samuel Stoute
Chief of Personnel
Office of Inspector General
525 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-681-3200