The U.S. Department of Justice has begun a probe into the New Orleans Police Department, following pleas from local leaders including Mayor Mitch Landrieu and repeated allegations of wrongdoing by the NOPD, particularly in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The probe follows the many civil rights-violations cases brought to light by the investigative series “Law & Disorder,” the collaborative effort by non-profit investigative journalism project ProPublica, The Times-Picayune of New Orleans and public affairs television program “Frontline.”
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According to ProPublica, the Justice Department has confirmed it has at least eight ongoing civil rights investigations focusing on the department. Four former police officers have already pleaded guilty for their involvement in one shooting incident in which two people died and four were wounded.
The Times-Picayune reports that the Justice Department review will focus on “allegations of excessive force, unconstitutional searches and seizures, racial profiling, failures to provide adequate police services to particular neighborhoods and related misconduct.”
"Law & Disorder" features video, social networking tools, photos and documents detailing several cases involving New Orleans police and civilians following the deadly hurricane.
In April, ProPublica won a Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting about "The Deadly Choices at Memorial," about life-and-death decisions made at a New Orleans medical center as the flood waters rose.
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