New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Shaun Ferguson has announced his retirement.
"I want to thank Mayor Cantrell and her administration for their constant support over the past four years. I also want to thank the men & women of the NOPD for their continued hard work and service its citizens," Chief Ferguson said in his announcement. "After 24 years of service in a profession that takes a lot out of the individuals who answer this call, it is time for me to take a step back and place more priority on my family and my own well-being."
Mayor LaToya Cantrell issued a statement praising the chief.
"The City of New Orleans will soon bid farewell to a great leader, a great partner and a great friend. After 24 years of dedicated public service to the City of New Orleans, Superintendent Shaun Ferguson will retire at the end of this year. He gave this city his very best – the safety and wellbeing of each and every resident and visitor was always his top priority," said Cantrell.
The mayor has not announced who she is selecting to replace Chief Ferguson, although our partners at The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate report Deputy Superintendent Jonette Williams is being considered.
New Orleans Metro Crime Commission president Rafael Goyeneche says he is not surprised that Ferguson's announcement comes now.
"Normally, the shelf life of a police chief is anywhere from three to five years," said Goyeneche. "Shaun has nearly four years in that post. January will be four years."
Goyeneche says Ferguson faced challenges with the pandemic and other events that not even Hurricane Katrina presented.
"With Katrina, even though the city flooded, much of the city's population left town and wasn't here," explained Goyeneche. "During COVID, and the social justice movement of 2020, the population was here."