From the cops to the D.A. to the courts, all aspects of fighting crime need improvement, says one New Orleans council member -- and that includes their end.
Council vice president J.P. Morrell says there's a big elephant in the room when it comes to NOPD manpower:
"If you have the funding for 1,600 officers and you have 900, where is the money going?" he asks.
Morrell says there needs to be better tracking of the city's funds, because if that money isn't being spent on new recruits, they need to know what is happening to those dollars.
He says a lot of the city's spending is going to need to be reexamined.
"When you're dealing with a violent pandemic in the city, all resources need to be funneled into things that are proven to reduce crime," said Morrell, referencing some city departments he says have million-dollar budget allocations but fewer than half-a-dozen employees, and consulting contracts spent on private firms that have little accountability.
