The New Orleans Police Department is officially entering a new chapter as federal monitoring under the long-running consent decree comes to an end.
Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick says this next phase will be defined by “strengthened controls, consistency, and transparency” as the department prepares to govern itself for the first time in more than a decade.
The consent decree, implemented to correct systemic failures within the department, required sweeping changes to training, discipline, supervision, and use-of-force policies. Federal monitors say the NOPD has demonstrated the ability to carry out a comprehensive reform plan; a key milestone that opened the door to ending federal oversight.
But as the department shifts into self-monitoring, the question remains: Will the public trust this new, modernized NOPD?
Former Superintendent Ronal Serpas believes the answer depends on whether the department stays committed to the reforms that got it here.
“If the department continues with the reforms and adds a layer of transparency, including public satisfaction surveys, the public will buy in,” Serpas said.
He notes that the true measure of any police department isn’t found in reports or policies, but in how residents feel under its leadership.
“The real test is public trust. That’s how you know how far the department has come,” Serpas added.
As the NOPD takes full control of its oversight responsibilities, city leaders and police officials say the work of reform is far from over. Instead, they frame this moment as a beginning and one that will require sustained commitment to transparency and accountability in order to maintain and grow community trust.