The NOPD’s deliberate indifference in the hiring and inadequate supervision of disgraced former New Orleans police officer Rodney Vicknair – now deceased – is another good reason that the NOPD’s federal consent decree must continue, said community activist Belden Batiste. “The NOPD leadership and especially its Public Integrity Bureau (PIB) failed this young victim, robbed her of her civil rights and scared her for life,” he said.
Onn Wednesday, August 21 after the conclusion of an emotional jury trial, U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier awarded $1 million to the victim – identified by her middle name “Nicole” in an investigation by The Washington Post – for the NOPD’s failure to protect her against Vicknair due to negligent hiring and improper supervision. Currently 19 years of age, “Nicole” filed suit in 2021.
The previous year Vicknair sexually assaulted her four times beginning when she was only 14. Vicknair met “Nicole” when he arrived at her home to investigate a reported rape. Although he was a regular patrol officer and not part of the sex crimes unit, Vicknair drove “Nicole” to the hospital for the rape examination and quickly began the grooming process. Vicknair continued to assault “Nicole” even after the PIB finally opened an investigation of him.
Vicknair was eventually charged and convicted in federal court in 2022. He died in prison shortly thereafter while serving his sentence. During his trial Vicknair said that the NOPD was aware that he made friends with underage girls but did not tell him not to do so, The Washington Post reported.
Sheriff Susan Hutson, who was the city’s Independent Police Monitor in 2020, learned about Vicknair’s treatment of “Nicole” from a counselor. She immediately reached out to then police chief Shaun Ferguson directly and strongly indicated an urgent need to speak with PIB director Arlinda Westbrook. Ferguson later admitted he did not remember taking any action after hearing from Hutson.
Though Hutson testified she only knew the officer’s first name – Rodney, there were only three Rodneys working for the NOPD at that time. Vicknair would have been relatively easy to identify and track down.
Batiste believes that Vicknair should never have been hired by the NOPD. “This man already had a criminal history that included numerous arrests and convictions for misdemeanors. But the NOPD was obviously accepting anyone who walked in the door,” Batiste explained. “When Chief Anne Kirkpatrick spoke at the trial as an expert witness, she said she would have never hired Vicknair. But she did not say the NOPD has adequate policies and procedures in place that would prevent the hiring of someone like Vicknair or limit his or her ability to access a victim.”
A member of the advocacy group New Orleans United Front, Batiste and others have been asking U.S. District Judge Suzie Morgan – who oversees the NOPD consent decree – to meet with the community. “Many New Orleanians want to share personal stories with Judge Morgan about how they or their family members have been treated unjustly by the NOPD,” Batiste explained.
Batiste continued, “even if all the other issues with the NOPD consent decree were resolved, the corruption within the PIB would be reason enough to keep the consent decree in place.” According to testimony from a PIB investigator, director Westbrook slow-walked Vicknair’s case. “Had Ferguson and Westbrook done their jobs, ‘Nicole’ might not have suffered the abuse Vicknair was able to inflict upon her. She still has nightmares and no longer trusts the police. To think the NOPD could have made a difference but chose not to push is totally unacceptable,” Batiste concluded.
The Washington Post reported that Judge Morgan was present in Barbier’s courtroom for at least a portion of the trial. Since she was appointed superintendent, Kirkpatrick has made significant progress toward ending the consent decree. It is not known if evidence presented in this trial will slow down that process.
Vicknair was convicted of battery on a juvenile in 1987. The NOPD said that information was not uncovered in the original investigation of his background. Since 2011, five more NOPD officers have been convicted of crimes involving child sexual abuse, part of a much larger national trend.
Like most law enforcement agencies, the NOPD struggles to hire enough officers to meet the city’s needs. Research from The Washington Post indicates that there are no universal requirements for law enforcement agencies to screen for potential sexual predators. An NOPD sergeant testified in a deposition in this case that the department has not changed policies or training methods which would prevent a future perpetrator like Vicknair.
