After years of reform, NOPD close to exiting federal consent decree: 'It's a new department'

The head of the New Orleans Police Department's internal affairs division gave a presentation last week that's become standard fare in an era of court-enforced reform.

Calling in members of the media, he revealed video of a police shooting on Halloween. An armed man was allegedly holding a woman hostage in a Canal Street gas station when a special operations officer felled him with a single shot, in the back, paralyzing him.

The "level four" use of force is still under investigation, Deputy Chief Keith Sanchez said. But the NOPD wanted to get the critical incident footage out timely.

“It’s transparency that fosters the relationship between the community and the police department, and that’s the most important part,” he said.

It was a far cry from the sham reviews that federal investiga