On March 3, 2023, the members of the New Orleans Civil Service Commission had their monthly meeting. On March 11, 2022, the Civil Service Commission approved some lump sum payments to police personnel in order to improve Retention and Recruitment. This also applied to the incentives for NOFD and NOEMS.

In order to be certain the payments were legal, the Civil Service Commission sought an opinion from the Attorney General. The Attorney General ruled favorably on the payments, but, generally, decisions based on an Attorney General’s Opinion delay the effectiveness of the item until the date of the positive ruling, which was received in July 2023.

In this case, the Fraternal Order of Police was very concerned that if the payments were pushed back to July 23, 2023, it would seriously impact the employees’ confidence in the administration’s reliability as it relates to promises it makes. In its Opinion, the Attorney General stated that the Civil Service Commission could revise its motion to March 11, 2022, so that the City Council could approve the change to March 11, 2022, and the payments could be made by March 11, 2023.

The Civil Service Commission received a letter from Councilman Joe Giuruso requesting the Civiil Service Commission consider a revision of the motion to change the effective date to March 11, 2022, so the Council could approve the change and the checks can be cut on March 11, 2023.

The Civil Service Commission unanimously voted to add the measure to the agenda and then unanimously voted to make the revision. The Council will consider the revision at its earliest opportunity and we will advise you when the checks will be issued.

The Fraternal Order of Police would like to to thank the New Orleans Civil Service Commission, Councilman Joe Giurusso, the New Orleans City Council. Mayor LaToya Cantrell, CAO Gilbert Montaño, and Superintendent Michelle Woodfork for making this a priority.