A new report by Eye on Surveillance (EOS NOLA), in collaboration with the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana (ACLU-LA) and the New Orleans Office of the Independent Police Monitor (OIPM), reveals significant shortcomings in how the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) classifies complaints related to domestic incident investigations. The report highlights that from 2016 to 2023, nearly 40% of these complaints were misclassified or underreported, raising concerns over transparency and accountability within the department.
This examination comes as Louisiana struggles to address domestic violence issues effectively. Tulane University’s Newcomb Institute places Louisiana last in the justice category of the U.S. Women’s Peace and Security Index, showing below-average scores on all 12 indicators.
Stella Cziment, the Independent Police Monitor, voiced alarm over the findings: “The key finding that 40% of the complaints related to domestic incident allegations were misclassified or underreported is alarming. The OIPM commits to working with these partners and the community in the coming year to address these discrepancies.”
Cziment noted that the OIPM plans to take on a more significant role in ensuring audit compliance. The department will implement additional checks on complaint classifications made by the Public Integrity Bureau to ensure complaints are accurately categorized and addressed, avoiding revictimization of survivors seeking accountability and assistance.
The report includes key recommendations to address these issues, proposing policy changes to improve transparency and classification accuracy. EOS NOLA, ACLU-LA, and OIPM recommend:
- Codifying existing reporting requirements for domestic incident complaints.
- Establishing a standardized classification system.
- Implementing a data reconciliation process.
The report underscores ongoing issues in the NOPD’s handling of sensitive cases. In 2011, a U.S. Department of Justice investigation found widespread misclassification of sexual assaults and poor case investigations, leading to the 2012 Consent Decree aimed at reforming NOPD practices.
The report features an in-depth methodology and policy recommendations and is available here.
