N.O. detail system under review

New Orleans — It appears New Orleans residents and businesses will have some input in the operations of a city office created to monitor the New Orleans Police Department’s corruption-riddled private detail system through a recently released confidential survey.

The city’s Office of Police Secondary Employment sent out surveys Wednesday asking for public feedback on how police officers perform on their private details. Those details were labeled a major source of corruption within the Police Department by the Justice Department in 2011 and have been a source of consternation and concern for Mayor Mitch Landrieu and Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas.

Landrieu created the OPSE in May and has said it will begin overseeing the detail system in early 2013. The office, which is led by former U.S. Army officer John Salomone, is gathering information on the detail program and setting up software to manage details.

The survey, which is being blasted out to subscribers to the city’s email notification system, asks basic questions about the performance of officers who participate in details. There are questions about their punctuality, their appearance and their demeanor.

It also discusses whether residents feel comfortable making complaints about officers’ performances and what type of fringe benefits are provided on details. Business owners are asked for their standard pay rates for details and whether they require officers to appear in their police uniforms and with marked police vehicles.

Overhauling the detail system has been a top priority for Landrieu and Serpas, particularly after it came to light that officers with ties to Serpas were working private details reviewing traffic camera citations issued by the city. The Justice Department has questioned how details are parceled out, how they were solicited and whether working details has interfered with officers’ regular work for the NOPD.

Addressing the detail system is a key part of the consent decree handed down by the Justice Department this summer that mandates a sweeping overhaul of the NOPD and will guide the department’s operations for years. hose details were labeled a major source of corruption within the Police Department by the Justice Department in 2011 and have been a source of consternation and concern for Mayor Mitch Landrieu and Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas.

Landrieu created the OPSE in May and has said it will begin overseeing the detail system in early 2013. The office, which is led by former U.S. Army officer John Salomone, is gathering information on the detail program and setting up software to manage details.

The survey, which is being blasted out to subscribers to the city’s email notification system, asks basic questions about the performance of officers who participate in details. There are questions about their punctuality, their appearance and their demeanor.

It also discusses whether residents feel comfortable making complaints about officers’ performances and what type of fringe benefits are provided on details. Business owners are asked for their standard pay rates for details and whether they require officers to have marked police vehicles.

Overhauling the detail system has been a top priority for Landrieu and Serpas, particularly after it came to light that officers with ties to Serpas were working private details reviewing traffic camera citations issued by the city. The Justice Department has questioned how details are parceled out, how they were solicited and whether working details has interfered with officers’ regular work for the NOPD.

Addressing the detail system is a key part of the consent decree handed down by the Justice Department this summer that mandates a sweeping overhaul of the NOPD and will guide the department’s operations for years. Editor’s Note: This story was altered on Oct. 19. 2012 to remove erroneous information about what the survey asks business owners; they are not asked any questions about whether they require police working private details to be in uniform.