New Orleans Police Department - Louisiana Employee Review

I have been working at New Orleans Police Department - Louisiana

Pros – NOPD's Crime Lab got a new captain just as I was leaving, who really seemed like he would be a huge improvement over the outgoing captain. Kind of sorry I never got to work with him, but it sounds like he is doing very well. VERY generous re: work-life balance, scheduling, and time off. Great benefits and job security, too. Most co-workers are very nice people, and the DNA Technical Leader was not only a giant in the industry, but a great professional mentor and just generally a very nice lady.

Cons – New Orleans city gov't seemed to view the police department as an over-priced necessary evil most of the time I was there (2003-2010), and the police department seemed to have pretty much the same nasty attitude toward its Crime Lab. As a result, we were permanently under-staffed and under-funded. That made the job very stressful at times. It was always a fight to get funding for such absolute base-line minimums as accreditation and sufficient reagents. Also, departmental politics can (and often did) spill over into the Crime Lab, which could make for a somewhat adversarial work environment at times. That being said, New Orleans got a new mayor (and in turn, a new police chief and new captains, including at the Crime Lab) right before I left. Hopefully, the incoming administration will do a much better job.

Advice to Senior Management – Please, PLEASE promote people to captain AND put captains in charge of the Crime Lab because they are competent to do the job and have a genuine interest in doing it well--NOT because of who they know or are related to!

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend