WDSU Investigates: DA alerts NOPD about âsystemic issuesâ that upend cases Share Updated: 9:52 AM CST Jan 7, 2021 Share Updated: 9:52 AM CST Jan 7, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript THEIR CHILDâS SCHOOL FOR ANY SPECIFICS. POLICE TESTIMONY CAN PUT A CRIMINAL SUSPECT BEHIND BARS. SOME CUPS ARE TOO RISKY FOR PROSECUTORS TO PUT ON THE WITNESS STAND. SUPREME COURT RULINGS CALL FOR POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY OFFICERS WHOSE CREDIBILITY HAS BEEN CALLED INTO QUESTION. WDSU INVESTIGATES LOOKED INTO WHETHER THE NOPD KEEPS TABS ON ISSUES WITHIN ITS RANKS. GREG LAROSE HAS THAT STORY. >> MONTHS AGO, THE ORLEANS PARISH DISTRICT ATTORNEY RAISED CONCERNS WITH HOW THE NOPD HANDLES EVIDENCE AND FORWARDS POLICE REPORTS. THE DAS OFFICE SAYS THESE PROBLEMS HAVE FORCED PROSECUTORS TO DROP CASES AGAINST ACCUSED SUSPECTS. FIRST ASSISTANT DA DETAILED WHAT HE CALLED SYSTEMIC ISSUES IN AN EMAIL MESSAGE TO THE DEPUTY CHIEF. HE MENTIONS HOW OFFICERS FAILED TO LOG EVIDENCE PROPERLY AND HOW THE TESTIMONY IN COURT SOMETIMES DIFFERS FROM WHAT THE BODYCAM VIDEO REVEALS. THE MESSAGE ALSO MENTIONS A LACK OF UPDATES FROM NOPD TO A LIST. IT IS HOW THE DA AND U.S. ATTORNEY KEEP TRACK OF WHICH COPS MIGHT FACE SEVERE SCRUTINY WHEN PUT ON THE WITNESS STAND. THE END UP ON THE LIST, AN OFFICER MOST LIKELY FACED SOME SORT OF DISCIPLINE OR PROBLEMS ON THE JOB. >> THEREâS A LOT OF POTENTIAL REASONS WHY -- THAT LIST AND NOT KNOW ABOUT IT. REPORTER: HEâS AN ATTORNEY FOR THE POLICE ASSOCIATION OF NEW ORLEANS. HE ASKED THE NOPD FOR A COPY OF THE LIST TO MAKE SURE THE COPS ON IT HAD A GOOD REASON TO BE INCLUDED. >> ONE OF OUR CONCERNS IS THE DEPARTMENT MIGHT BE PUTTING OFFICERS ON THE LIST WITHOUT GOOD CAUSE. REPORTER: HE WAS TOLD THERE CURRENTLY WASNâT AN APPROVED LIST. WDSU ALSO ASKED FOR A LIST COPY. WE WERE TOLD THERE WERE NO SUCH RECORDS AVAILABLE, AND THE MENTION OF ONE IN THE MESSAGE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING. >> I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY HALF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PROBABLY DOESNâT KNOW SUCH A LIST IS SUPPOSED TO EXIST, OR HAS EXISTED. REPORTER: WE ASKED THE DAS OFFICE ABOUT THE LIST AND CONCERNS RAISED. THE MESSAGE WAS PART OF AN ONGOING DIALOGUE BETWEEN PROSECUTORS AND POLICE, ONE THAT INCLUDES FRANK DISCUSSIONS. WE ALSO ASKED THE DA FOR THE COPY OF THE LIST. WE WERE GIVEN A SPREADSHEET OF EVERY NOPD OFFICER WHO HAD A COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST THEM, REGARDLESS OF IT WAS VALID OR NOT. THERE ARE 12 NAMES ON THE LIST, ABOUT HALF OF THEM, INCLUDING SOME WHO NO LONGER WORK FOR NOPD , HAD SUBSTANTIATED COMPLAINTS. JUST BECAUSE THEIR NAMES ARE ON THE DAS LIST, THESE OFFICERS HAVE NOT BEEN RULED OUT AS POTENTIAL COURT WITNESSES, AND THEIR COMPLAINT HISTORY HAS TO BE SHARED WITH DEFENSE ATTORNEYS. >> THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A LIST , THERE WERE INDICATIONS THERE WAS A LIST. I WOULD HATE TO THINK THE DEPARTMENT WOULD NOT HAVE A HARD COPY OF SUCH A LIST AVAILABLE. IT DOESNâT MAKE A LOT OF SENSE. >> WE WERENâT TOLD HOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS RESPONDED TO THE CONCERNS, BUT A DECEMBER 1 EMAIL FROM THE DEPUTY CHIEF TO NOPD LEADERSHIP ASKS FOR SOMEONE TO BE ASSIGNED TO MAKE SURE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ARE TAKEN. FOR WDSU INVESTIGATES, IâM GREG LAROSE. TRAVERS: AN NOPD SPOKESPERSON SAYS LESS THAN 1% OF CASES POLICE FORWARDED TO THE DAS OFFICE IN 2020 HAVE BEEN REJECTED FOR REASONS INVOLVING A POLICE OFFICER. YOU CAN READ MUCH MORE ABOUT ISSUES RAISED WITH POLICE INVESTIGATIONS RIGHT NOW AT