Captain Michelle Woodfork will step in as the interim superintendent for the New Orleans Police Department, while the city conducts a search for its next police chief, Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced at a press conference on Tuesday.
Woodfork is a 31-year veteran from the department and the niece of a former NOPD superintendent. She will be the first woman to lead the department.
“I understand that with this appointment comes great responsibility and accountability,” said Woodfork, who will begin work as the interim chief on Thursday.
Earlier this month, current NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson announced he would retire at the end of the year. According to NOLA.com, Ferguson said in an emailed statement that it was "time to take a step back and place more priority on my family and my own well-being.”
Ferguson, who was tapped to lead the department in 2019 after more than two decades on the force, faced several key challenges as police chief. Like many big cities, New Orleans has experienced sharp increases in violent crime – notably homicides and carjackings – during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The police department, which has been under a federal consent decree since 2012, has also struggled to hire and retain officers. During Ferguson’s tenure, NOPD hiring issues have resulted in slower response times to crime and problems with staffing Carnival parades.
Prior to Tuesday’s announcement, city council members called on the Cantrell administration to conduct a national search for a new police chief, and to abide by a new council confirmation process.
Under a new amendment to the city charter that voters approved in November, the mayor’s department heads – including police superintendent – must be approved by the council. But the law doesn’t kick in until Jan.1, 2023.
Cantrell emphasized during Tuesday’s press conference that the city will undergo a search for a more permanent chief, but dismissed the council’s call to look outside the city for a new superintendent.
“Anyone can apply,” Cantrell said. She said the insistence on conducting a “national” search undercuts current officers. The search will consider current NOPD officers for the job, including interim superintendent Woodfork, Cantrell said.
City council president Helena Moreno said in a statement Tuesday that appointing an interim chief and launching a national search will allow the city to find “the most qualified leader to permanently replace Chief Shaun Ferguson.”
“I look forward to collaborating and working with [Woodfork] to bring reforms to the department and overall becoming a much safer city,” Moreno said.
