New Orleans Police Struggle with Staffing and Overtime Woes

Chief Kirkpatrick addresses NOPD's systemic overtime issues and plans to use drones for 'security rather than surveillance'

Apr. 16, 2026 at 9:35pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An extreme close-up photograph of a police officer's hand punching a biometric time clock, creating a stark, gritty, and investigative aesthetic that conceptually represents the NOPD's efforts to address overtime issues.The NOPD's efforts to address overtime abuse through biometric time clocks aim to restore accountability and transparency within the department.New Orleans Today

New Orleans Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick revealed that staffing remains the top issue facing the department, with crime levels still low despite an understaffed force. Kirkpatrick discussed the NOPD's plans to address overtime abuse, which was exacerbated by the consent decree, and the department's new drone program, which will focus on security rather than surveillance in the French Quarter.

Why it matters

The NOPD's staffing and overtime challenges reflect a nationwide problem for law enforcement agencies, and Kirkpatrick's proposed solutions, including integrating separate employment databases and using drones for security, could serve as a model for other departments struggling with similar issues.

The details

Kirkpatrick announced the NOPD has onboarded its first official part-time officer, a step aimed at alleviating staffing shortages. She said the department will soon release information about proactive arrests of high-risk offenders. To address overtime abuse, Kirkpatrick wants to return to officers punching a biometric clock, as the consent decree had unintentionally created opportunities for abuse by separating oversight systems. The solution requires cooperation from the city government to integrate the separate employment databases. The NOPD also received approval to use drones in the French Quarter, which Kirkpatrick says will be for 'security rather than surveillance'.

  • The NOPD recently onboarded its first official part-time officer.
  • The NOPD will soon release information about proactive arrests of high-risk offenders.
  • The New Orleans City Council recently approved the NOPD's plan to use drones in the French Quarter.

The players

Anne Kirkpatrick

The Chief of the New Orleans Police Department.

Michael Harrison

The Deputy Mayor of New Orleans who will need to advocate for the necessary changes to address the NOPD's overtime issues.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The question isn't can you work the overtime, the question is did you work that overtime?... Out of 1,300 employees, you're always gonna have someone who wants to push the envelope. What we have done is to try to look at the systems that would prevent opportunity. And one of those is to return to officers having to punch a biometric clock.”

— Anne Kirkpatrick, Police Chief

“Is the drone surveillance or is the drone security? Those are two different issues, and I think that we use it as security, not as surveillance. I've said all along we do not surveil our people, and we're not going to surveil them, but it is a security eye in the sky.”

— Anne Kirkpatrick, Police Chief

What’s next

The NOPD will need to work with the city government, including the Deputy Mayor, to integrate the separate employment databases and secure the necessary funding to address the department's overtime issues.

The takeaway

The NOPD's staffing and overtime challenges reflect a nationwide problem for law enforcement agencies, and Kirkpatrick's proposed solutions, including using drones for security rather than surveillance, could serve as a model for other departments struggling with similar issues.