Nola Reporter

NEW ORLEANS — Mayor LaToya Cantrell today administered the Oath of Office to Anne Kirkpatrick, making her the first woman confirmed as Superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD).

The official swearing-in ceremony followed a historic confirmation vote by the New Orleans City Council. Superintendent Kirkpatrick is the first Mayoral appointee to complete the Council confirmation process approved by Orleans Parish voters in 2022.  

“Today is an exciting, inspiring and historic day for the City of New Orleans and the New Orleans Police Department,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “Anne Kirkpatrick has graciously accepted the opportunity to lead the NOPD and continue improving our city’s public safety and is making history as the first woman to do so in a more permanent role. I also thank the community and the City Council for embracing her leadership to help strengthen our unified public safety command. Her expertise, fearlessness and dedication to public safety has proven that she is a true leader and trailblazer and is the right choice to lead our world-class police department. This swearing-in comes at an opportune time when we are seeing this department lead in violent crime reduction across the country and also renewed efforts to address violence of any kind in a holistic manner. The safety and wellbeing of our people has always been my top priority, and as we swear Chief Kirkpatrick into this permanent role, I look even more forward to forward to her cultivating a brighter and safer future for the City of New Orleans.” 

With over 35 years of experience in law enforcement, coupled with 20 years of leading police departments of even larger municipalities, Superintendent Kirkpatrick is one of the most tenured police executives in the entire country. She has a proven track record across a diverse number of jurisdictions for transforming police departments and reducing violent crime. Kirkpatrick most recently served as Chief of Police in Oakland, where she implemented a significant culture change by increasing police accountability and transparency as well as implementing equity-based decision-making. 

Prior to her tenure in Oakland, Kirkpatrick served as Bureau Chief in Chicago where she was the liaison to the Department of Justice, during a time in which the Chicago Police Department was under investigation for patterns and practice of civil rights violations, resulting in a federal consent decree. Kirkpatrick also served as Chief of Police in Ellensburg, Federal Way and Spokane, all located in the State of Washington, and as Undersheriff of the King County Sheriff’s Office. In addition to extensive executive leadership experience, Kirkpatrick is a National Instructor for the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Law Enforcement Executive Association’s Leadership Training Program. 

“I would like to thank Mayor Cantrell for having the confidence in me to lead the New Orleans Police Department," said NOPD Superintendent Kirkpatrick. "The NOPD is a model police department for other law enforcement agencies across the country. I am honored to join the men and women of this world-class department and to build on the progress that has been made in crime reduction, recruitment and retention, as well as the advancement that has been made in bringing the department in compliance with the consent decree and moving to the self-monitoring phase. I want to thank the many residents, business and community leaders I’ve met in the past few weeks who have shown their support, placing their hope in me for continuing to build a positive and productive partnership with the NOPD. We will all work together toward our goals of a safer and more vibrant city.” 

Superintendent Kirkpatrick was selected as the finalist to lead the NOPD in September following a national search conducted by the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Original source can be found here.