In response to the City Council’s call for a pause on all overtime amid a $160 million budget shortfall, New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick on Thursday warned that ending overtime could compromise public safety and that she will not scale back in a way that puts officers at risk.

"When it comes to your safety, it isn't about money to me," Kirkpatrick said at a briefing, according to video posted by WDSU-TV. "And therefore, I will not compromise the safety over the money.

"I will work with you in the non-essential safety elements. But I am not going to let an officer get hurt, and I am not going to let the community be hurt because I am not willing to pay overtime."

NOPD overtime hours in the city's 2025 budget account for about $57.5 million in the budget shortfall.

See Full Page