this:
In the course of research for our book on the confiscation of firearms in the aftermath of the hurricane, we heard a number of similar stories. They all followed the same vein: A citizen is pulled over in a traffic stop. The NOPD officer takes a gun from the citizen, and asks if the citizen has a receipt for the gun. When the answer is no, the gun is seized, and the citizen is informed if they will show up at a specific precinct with proof of ownership, they can have the gun back.
A recent gentleman caller on a New Orleans radio talk show described having a personal handgun seized during a traffic stop. This particular gun was passed down through his family — it was an heirloom — and he wanted it back. This gentleman stated he had placed numerous calls to different divisions within the department, and had been unable to get any information on the whereabouts of his gun.
A local gun store informed me they have had numerous citizens buy guns, only to return and beg for a copy of their receipt to get the gun back after it had been seized during a traffic stop in New Orleans.
The officer should be prosecuted, the chief should be prosecuted for not stopping this, and the mayor ought to have his ass kicked for tolerating this crap in the police department.
Remember a movie called The Big Easy? Big factor in the movie was corruption in NOPD. I didn't realize at the time it wasn't a drama, it was a documentary.
3 comments:
in my reportoire of "acquaintenances there are some of the LE type. one of those was chatting with another about a traffic ticket that he got for tinted windows, ticket given by virtue of a test done with a certified tint meter, The LE, acknowledged that the jurisdiction didn't own such a meter, but had been made aware that a neighboring jurisdiction was missing theirs, coincidentally, the issuing officer used to work for that jurisdiction, sufficient to say "trust them with your life?"
An acquaintance of mine was following a police officer through the crowd at Mardi Gras shouting "Officer...Officer" to report a problem and the officer didn't hear him over the noise. He got close and tapped the officer on the shoulder to get his attention and was immediately tackled, shackled, and hauled off.
I have been to NO several times for several events and I understand some the the crap these officers have to deal with but WOW....that was un-necessary at best and down right vicious at worse.
I've been reading a book on Katrina and the aftermath, primarily in NO; let's say that the NOPD did not exactly distinguish itself in a good way.
I understand why, but it's hard to believe at times that the good officers don't give up on the organization.
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