Capt. Harry Mendoza axed from NOPD
Police Chief Warren Riley on Friday fired Capt. Harry Mendoza, the department’s high-profile traffic commander, ruling that the 30-year veteran regularly spent large chunks of his workday on the tennis court, in the gym and, at times, just relaxing at home.
[Mendoza’s attorney Eric] Hessler suggested that politics played a significant role in the case, starting with the Police Department’s decision to investigate Mendoza. Mendoza is a longtime friend of Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu and openly supported Landrieu during his bid to unseat New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin … When it appeared that Landrieu had a good chance against Nagin in the mayoral runoff, speculation within the department had Mendoza in line for a major promotion under a Landrieu regime. Landrieu made it clear during the campaign that, if elected, he would conduct a national search for a new police chief.
Recently having read Dambala’s exposé on the Meffert-Kurt-Nagin Tech Triangle, I’m not surprised at either outcome of Hessler’s appeal to the Civil Service Commission: that Mendoza’s pink slip was power play or Harry was indeed stringing up his racket on city time.
VatulBlog Bottom Line: While systemic corruption in city government is an impediment to our progress, this is yet another useless witchhunt to distract the city from its real problems. Firing one or two cops here and there isn’t going to help things, especially when NOPD morale suffers and internal schisms are the last thing we need. The summer heat plays great tricks on our list of priorities.
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Speaking of thieves … *cough* … I mean, attorneys, Amanda wrote the last of her Louisiana Bar Exam yesterday after which we celebrated with sushi and champagne. Her grandfather quips that there isn’t a bar Amanda can’t pass (up), but I hope to attend my special blondette’s swearing-in ceremony soon. Here’s to you, sweetcakes!
