NEW ORLEANS —

New Orleans is facing a $160 million budget deficit, forcing city leaders to halt overtime pay for police, firefighters and EMS until the new year.

This comes after the city admitted it may lose officers in the meantime in order to balance the budget amid a financial crisis. Advertisement

NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said Thursday that overtime isn't an option for her agency, specifically because of the number of officers on the force.

According to Kirkpatrick, with 300 vacancies and just over 900 officers on the force, she said overtime is critical for public safety.

New Orleans is just one day away from Halloween, and has big events like the Bayou Classic and New Year's Eve approaching.

Kirkpatrick said these events aren't possible without overtime.

She said

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