IN TONIGHT’S EDITION OF THE WDSU HOT SEAT, WE GO IN-DEPTH ONE ON ONE WITH THE CITY’S TOP COP. SHE TALKS ABOUT CONCEALED CARRY ISSUES, A REDUCTION IN CRIME ACROSS NEW ORLEANS, AND THE INTERNAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE MAYOR’S SECURITY GUARD. HERE’S WDSU ANCHOR TRAVERS MACKEL WITH NOPD SUPERINTENDENT ANNE KIRKPATRICK. WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO CARVE OUT CERTAIN DISTRICTS WHEN IT COMES TO CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY? I’M SURE YOU SAW WHAT JUST HAPPENED. THE BILL ESSENTIALLY GOT DEFERRED BECAUSE THE LAWMAKER WANTS TO GO WORK ON IT. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO CARVE OUT CERTAIN DISTRICTS IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS? WELL, I HAD WANTED THE ENTIRE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS COMPLETELY CARVED OUT OF THE BILL BECAUSE, AS I’VE SAID ALL ALONG, UH, ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL. SO WHICH WOULD BE PERFECTLY OKAY TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF BILL AND NORTHERN LOUISIANA OR CERTAIN PARTS OF LOUISIANA. IT’S JUST NOT A FIT HERE. WE ARE KNOWN FOR HIGH GUN VIOLENCE. AND SO THIS BILL INDEED REMOVES A TOOL FOR POLICE OFFICER THAT ACTUALLY IS NOT A LAW ENFORCEMENT FRIENDLY TOOL. A BILL NOW, NOR IS IT A LAW AND ORDER BILL AT ALL. SOME OF THE PUSHBACK AT THE CAPITOL FROM LAWMAKERS IS THAT A LOT OF NEW ORLEANS ALREADY IS A GUN FREE ZONE. SOME OF THESE AREAS THAT YOU’RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT ARE CONSIDERED GUN FREE ZONES, AND IT DOESN’T PREVENT PEOPLE FROM USING FIREARMS, BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO DO SOMETHING STUPID AND BRING A FIREARM TO A BAR OR A TOURIST AREA, THEY’RE GOING TO USE IT ANYWAY. SO DO YOU THINK IT’S AN UPHILL BATTLE, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT HAPPENED TODAY AT THE CAPITOL, WHERE THE BILL WAS DEFERRED? GIVEN THE FACT THAT LAWMAKERS GAVE PUSH BACK ON A LOT OF NEW ORLEANS ALREADY IS FIREARM FREE, AND YOU STILL HAVE GUN VIOLENCE? WELL, NOT IN THE ENTERTAINMENT AREAS, NOT IN THE HOSPITALITY AREAS. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GUN FREE ZONES, OF COURSE, AROUND SCHOOLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT IT DOES NOT REACH THE AREAS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT AS WELL, WHERE THERE ARE HIGH RISK ASSOCIATED WITH HOSPITAL LEE, LARGE CROWDS AND SO FORTH. AND SO THE GUN FREE ZONES AS THEY ARE TODAY DO NOT ENCOMPASS WHAT I WOULD CALL THE HOSPITALITY AREA, WHICH IS MORE THAN EVEN THE FRENCH QUARTER. SO I LISTEN TO A LOT OF THE HEARING TODAY TO, UM, SOME OF WHAT THEY TALKED ABOUT TODAY IS WE’VE HAD CONCEALED CARRY SINCE THE 1990S. POLICE OFFICERS AND YOU ARE A CAREER POLICE OFFICER, CAN STOP SOMEBODY IF THEY LIKE, IF THEY THINK THEY HAVE SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS GOING ON. HOW WOULD THIS LAW, THIS CARVING OUT OF A DISTRICT ENHANCE THAT? BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN FAVOR OF WHAT’S GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE FEEL LIKE POLICE ALREADY HAVE THE ABILITY TO STOP SOMEBODY CARRYING AN ILLEGAL FIREARM? WELL, THAT’S THE POINT ABOUT THE BILL. IT REMOVES THAT ABILITY. SO IF WE SEE AND NOTICE THAT SOMEONE IS CARRYING CARRYING A WEAPON THAT WOULD GIVE US THE BASIS FOR A REASONABLE SUSPICION STOP TO TO MAKE A FURTHER INQUIRY AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE CARRYING LEGALLY. NOW YOU REMOVE IT AND YOU’VE MADE ALL CARRY LEGAL. SO NOW WE NOTICE YOU ARE CARRYING A GUN. I NOW HAVE NO LEGAL RIGHT TO STOP YOU TO MAKE THAT INQUIRY, BECAUSE BECAUSE IT MADE ALL CARRY LEGAL. SO YOU REMOVED THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL THAT WE HAVE. BUT ISN’T THE LAW JUST TO GIVE YOU PUSHBACK? DOESN’T THE LAW SAY IF YOU ASK SOMEBODY, CAN I IS YOUR GUN LEGAL? DON’T THEY HAVE TO ADDRESS IT? I MEAN, CAN YOU CAN YOU AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, ASK ME RIGHT NOW IF I’M CARRYING A WEAPON? AND DON’T I HAVE TO BE HONEST? YOU DON’T HAVE TO. I MEAN, THINK ABOUT THE HUMAN NATURE OF THAT, RIGHT? SO YOU WALK AWAY WAS MY BASIS TO STOP YOU. OKAY. AND ALSO KEEP IN MIND THE BILL SAID FIREARM. THE BILL DIDN’T SAY PISTOL. AND SO THAT ENCOMPASSES THE CARRYING OF A HIGH POWERED RIFLE. WHERE’S MY BASIS TO EVEN STOP YOU TO TO MAKE AN INQUIRY? BECAUSE AS THE BILL SAYS, FIREARM NOT PISTOL. THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT YOU SENT TODAY VERY SMART. WELL, VERY, VERY BRIGHT. KNOWS A LOT OF THE HISTORY. YES. DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO GO TO SELL THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT QUESTION WAS ASKED TODAY BY A LAWMAKER. WHERE IS THE CHIEF IF YOU’RE THE IF YOU’RE THE VISIBLE FACE OF THIS, WHY NOT? YOU? WHY HIM? YES. WELL, WHEN THE ISSUE CAME UP FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO GO MY CALENDAR AS SUCH, I SET MY CALENDAR FOR, UH. AND SO IT WAS IN CONFLICT WITH MY CALENDAR. AND SO ALSO I WANT TO MENTOR THE FUTURE CHIEFS OF THIS CITY, AND THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO BEFORE POLITICIANS, AS THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE THE ARGUMENTS. AND SO I THINK IT IS ALSO VALUABLE, ABLE TO SEND DEPUTY CHIEFS AND TO THESE OPPORTUNITIES, BECAUSE THERE IS PERCEPTION AND THERE IS REALITY. BUT SOMETIMES YOU ARE WELL AWARE THEY’RE ONE AND THE SAME. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE AND LOOK, WE ASK THESE QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE GET QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC. THERE ARE SOME THAT FEEL WHEN WE HAVE MAJOR CRIME EVENTS, YOU ARE NOT OUT THERE ADDRESSING THE SITUATION. WE’VE ALL SEEN NEWS. SOMETHING HAPPENED IN PHILADELPHIA LAST WEEK. I SAW THEIR POLICE CHIEF ON THE NETWORKS. YEAH, WE JUST HAD A SHOOTING WHERE IT WAS A MASS SHOOTING. 11 PEOPLE SHOT, ONE KILLED. IT WAS A TERRIBLE NATIONAL HEADLINE, INTERNATIONAL HEADLINE FOR THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS. RIGHT. IS THERE A REASON WHY THE POLICE NOW DON’T DO UPDATES OR STATEMENTS WITHIN THE FIRST COUPLE OF MINUTES, OR HOURS OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YEAH, SOMETIMES. AND THESE ARE DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHIES AROUND THE COUNTRY TO TO SPEAK TO QUICKLY TO EVENTS BEFORE WE KNOW WHAT WE FULLY HAVE HAVE. AND SO THAT IS GOING TO BE AN OPINION AROUND THE COUNTRY WHERE YOU MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT PIOS AND MEDIA PEOPLE WHO HAVE A DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHIES ABOUT WHEN DO YOU ROLL OUT, WHEN DOES THE CHIEF GO OUT IN FRONT? WE DID DO A PRESSER THAT AFTERNOON. AS YOU KNOW. SO THINGS OF THAT NATURE, IT’S JUST A DIFFERENCE OF OF OPINION. AND THERE THAT’S WHY SOME PEOPLE WILL BE BE CRITICAL AND OTHERS WON’T. CRIME IS WAY DOWN RIGHT NOW WHICH IS A GOOD THING. WHAT CAN YOU PUT YOUR FINGER ON AND SHOW AS TO CRIME BEING DOWN? I KNOW I’M GOING TO USE AN EXAMPLE HERE. WHEN MICHAEL HARRISON WAS THE POLICE CHIEF IN 18 AND 19, THEY HAD SPECIALIZED TASK FORCE. THEY ALL HAD DIFFERENT NAMES. RIGHT. IS THERE ANYTHING IN YOUR FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS HERE THAT YOU CAN PUT YOUR FINGER ON AND SAY, LOOK, THIS IS THE REASON I BELIEVE VIOLENT CRIME IS DOWN? ABSOLUTELY. WE ARE WORKING A STRATEGY, AN ACTUAL DEFINED STRATEGY. IT’S BASED ON OPERATION CEASEFIRE, BUT IT IS A LITTLE MORE FOLSOM THAN JUST AN OPERATION CEASEFIRE. I SEND FIVE PEOPLE FROM HERE TO OAKLAND TO LEARN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OPERATION CEASEFIRE STRATEGY, IN ADDITION TO WHAT THEY WERE ALREADY WORKING. SO IT WAS AN ADD ON STRATEGY. AND THAT STRATEGY IS EVIDENCE BASED AND HAS BEEN USED AROUND THE COUNTRY. I USED IT IN OAKLAND AND I INHERITED IT IN OAKLAND. AND DURING MY THREE YEARS THERE, WE EXPERIENCED 20 YEAR LOWS FOR EACH YEAR I WAS THERE. AND RIGHT NOW THAT IS WHAT YOU SEE. THE FRUITS OF IS AN ACTUAL DEFINED STRATEGY. DOES IT SURPRISE YOU? THE NUMBERS HAVE GONE DOWN SO QUICKLY GIVEN THE OBSTACLES YOU’VE DEALT WITH, ESPECIALLY THE LACK OF OFFICERS ON THE STREET? UM, I’M NOT SURPRISED THAT THEY ARE APPRECIABLY BETTER THAN THEY WERE LAST YEAR, BUT I’M VERY PLEASED TO SEE SEE HOW EXCELLENT THE IMPLEMENTATION BY THE RANK AND FILE OFFICERS WHO ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE THE ONES TO IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGY. I CAN WE CAN READ STRATEGIES IN A BOOK, BUT BUT IT’S ONLY AS GOOD AS THE MEN AND WOMEN IN BLUE AND IN AND THE WHITE SHIRTS OUT THERE WHO ARE ACTUALLY KNOW HOW TO IMPLEMENT IT. SO THE STRATEGY IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE IMPLEMENTATION. AND THAT’S DUE TO EXCELLENT LEADERSHIP AND EXCELLENT POLICE WORK BY THE MEN AND WOMEN OUT THERE ON THE STREETS EVERY DAY. WHY IS JEFFREY BARBEE STILL ON THE MAYOR’S DETAIL? I KNOW THAT THE METROPOLITAN CRIME COMMISSION CALLED FOR A NEW INVESTIGATOR. MOTION PICTURES HAVE SURFACED. IT DOES LOOK LIKE HE IS EATING WITH HIS SUPERIOR. I GUESS. IN A NUTSHELL, WHY IS HE STILL WORKING ON THE MAYOR’S DETAIL IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING GOING ON? WELL, I PRACTICE DUE PROCESS AND EVERYTHING THAT I DO AND SO AN INVESTIGATION IS FORMALLY STARTED OR WILL BE FORMALLY STARTING BECAUSE THERE’S A FORMAL COMPLAINT. SO AN INVESTIGATION IS IN PROCESS. PROCESS MATTERS IS IN DUE PROCESS. THE FAIRNESS IS DETERMINED. AND SO THERE ARE PROCESSES ACES THAT I WILL BE FOLLOWING AND MAKING DECISIONS ON WHAT WHETHER OR NOT HE IS ON THE DETAIL, NOT ON THE DETAIL OR WHETHER OR NOT HE EVEN WANTS TO BE ON THE DETAIL ANYMORE. BUT THERE ARE DUE PROCESS IS AND I’M GOING TO HONOR THOSE DUE PROCESSES. ALL RIGHT. FINAL QUESTION. YOU ALL MAKE A LOT OF ARRESTS. YOU TURN THEM OVER TO THE DA. THEY PROSECUTE CASES SOMETIMES. IT DOESN’T ALWAYS LEAD TO A CONVICTION. THERE WAS A CASE RECENTLY, A HIGH PROFILE 2016 MURDER WHERE YOUR OFFICERS MADE WHAT LOOKED TO BE A PRETTY SOLID ARREST, A COUPLE OF YEARS AFTER THE FACT. AND THE CHARGES WERE JUST DISMISSED. IT HAPPENS NOT JUST HERE, BUT IN OTHER MAJOR CITIES. IS IT FRUSTRATING FOR YOU AND THE OFFICERS WHO FEEL LIKE THEY MAKE STRONG CASES, OR THEY GET THE PEOPLE THAT THEY THINK DID THE CRIME? AND IT EITHER DOESN’T LEAD TO A PROSECUTION OR DOESN’T LEAD TO A CONVICTION. I THINK IT’S FRUSTRATING ON BOTH PARTS BECAUSE THE PROSECUTORS ALSO HAVE TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE A CASE THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET A CONVICTION FOR. SO IT’S FRUSTRATING FOR EVERYBODY. BUT WE ARE IN PARTNERSHIP. WE ARE NOT AT ODDS WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO PIT US AGAINST EACH OTHER. AND SO I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE TRULY IN PARTNERSHIP AND IT’S FRUSTRATING ON BOTH SIDES WHEN A TOUGH DECISION HAS TO BE MADE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT A PROSECUTION WILL CONTINUE OR NOT. AND THIS HOT SEAT WILL BE AVAI