NOPD History

NOPD TIMELINE

For over 200 years, the New Orleans Police Department has been protecting the Crescent City and the people that make it what it is...amazing. Below is an abbreviated timeline of the department from its inception to the present. For a more detailed history of the NOPD, click here to be sent directly to the official New Orleans Police Department web site.

1796: The New Orleans Police Department is mentioned for the first time in print. During this time, the city limits were in the restricted boundaries of Canal Street, Esplanade Avenue, the Ramparts and the Mississippi River levee.

1855: The \"Crescent Badge\" is mentioned for the first time. And despite the city\'s concern that their budget would not meet the expense of uniforms, the officers continued to wear the badge.

1891: At this time the police force numbered 325, and it is said that during an inspection of the officers, Superintendent Gaster was needed but nowhere to be found. When he finally arrived, his badge was re-pinned upside down with the statement, \"Now you will stand out.\" Gaster adopted the upside-down badge and turned it into a tradition that was passed down to each following superintendent until 1985.

1932: In April of 1932, the Police Department held its first memorial service at St. Louis Cathedral. It was also during this month that the New Orleans Fire Department was inaugurated at St. Louis Cathedral.

1979: It was in 1979 that the command of the New Orleans Police Department became besieged with problems, beginning with the city\'s pay plan, which stated that benefits such as annual and sick leave would be diminished. After a 16-day strike that resulted in the cancellation of Mardi Gras, benefits were restored with the new stipulation only affecting new hires.

1981: Under Superint\'endent Morris\' direction, extensive revisions were made to the Police Academy curriculum, providing training in human relations and cultural sensitivity. Morris also implemented a program designed to recognize and compensate officers based on their training experience. This program was the beginning of the Police Officer I-IV program that is in use today.

1982: The city saved one million dollars when the Central Lockup and the House of Detention were transferred to the Criminal Sheriff\'s office.

1995: In 1995, Superintendent Pennington issued the Pennington Plan, which included ten major elements of reform that focused mainly in high-crime areas. During his tenure as superintendent, Pennington also created The Community Oriented Police Squad, otherwise known as C.O.P.S., and established four additional C.O.P.S. substations. He also created The Public Integrity Division, which was located at an independent site away from Police Headquarters, giving citizens a sense of comfort when filing a complaint.

1996: The New Orleans Police Foundation was formed to provide substantial and systematic business assistance to the New Orleans Police Department. The Foundation\'s main goal was to aid the department in their business management, allowing officers the opportunity to focus their time on fighting crime and protecting citizens.

1999: For the New Orleans Police Department, education is paramount. That\'s why in 1999 the NOPD initiated a program with local accredited colleges and universities, permitting all commissioned officers to enroll or finish their college educations.

2003: In April, 2003, the crime fighting initiative called Operation Full Court Press began. Operation Full Court Press helped to identify a 7-square mile problem area where more than 13,400 arrests were made for crimes ranging from violent felonies to local, state and federal offences. In addition, several of these arrests were for outstanding warrants. This operation helped take more than 222 guns out of the area, and more than 2,000 guns were confiscated by other districts and unit officers.

2005: With the threat of Hurricane Katrina, Deputy Superintendent Warren J. Riley, Chief of Operations, began assisting in the planning and preparation for the Department\'s response.

All of the men and women of the New Orleans Police Department performed valiantly, during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, under the most adverse conditions ever seen by any modern police department. All the officers who were there during Katrina have stories that may never be told, and some of the exceptionally brave actions may never be known, but the heroes know who they are and the following message is for them:

The Iwo Jima Memorial in Washington, D.C. has written, \"UNCOMMON VALOR WAS A COMMON VIRTUE.\" These words are also true of the men and women of the New Orleans Police Department who held the line though Hurricane Katrina.

2008: In 2008, New Orleans Police Department headquarters was finally reopened, marking a major move forward in the city\'s recovery.