“Even Seinfeld couldn’t make a funnier episode with all these facts floating around,” said former New Orleans Police Department Chief Ronal Serpas this week while talking to WWL’s Newell Normand.
He was talking about the internal investigation into Officer Jeffrey Vappie, a NOPD cop who was assigned to be Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s bodyguard. Previously, WWL reported on allegations that Cantrell and Vappie had a sexual relationship.
“Divorce papers filed by Officer Jeffrey Vappie’s estranged wife allege an affair between the officer and a person identified as ‘Mrs. L.C.,’” according to the report. “Dates of the affair alleged in the legal filing match up to dates when Vappie was with Cantrell at the city-owned apartment in the Lower Pontalba building off of Jackson Square.”
However, the mayor has dismissed the allegations.
Now, there are concerns that the city of New Orleans compromised an internal investigation into Vappie, Normand explained. In particular, the Office of Independent Police Monitor has concerns about the handling of investigation materials, including recordings. Normand characterized it as a leak or breach, either accidental or suspect.
“I mean, it’s… the problem is, and you and I spoke about this a long time ago, if the mayor truly was concerned about clearing her name of these allegations,” things would have gone much differently, according to Serpas.
Listen to them break down the situation here.
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