This repository is dedicated to analyzing NOPD's misconduct data following significant concerns over its officer misconduct investigations and disciplinary practices. The Department of Justice opposed the termination of the decree in 2023, highlighting ongoing issues in NOPD's accountability mechanisms.

Recent Department of Justice (DOJ) findings and reports from 2023 spotlight NOPD's deficiencies in handling officer misconduct, emphasizing delays in misconduct investigations, inadequate complainant notifications, and inconsistent disciplinary actions. Despite an overall compliance rate of 90% as reported in August 2023, NOPD's accountability mechanisms are deficient according to the DOJ.

Inspired by the Invisible Institute's Beneath the Surface project, this analysis aims to delve deeper than the official primary categorizations of police complaints. It seeks to uncover the often overlooked or minimized experiences and allegations of individuals affected by state and interpersonal violence. Through a comprehensive examination of three distinct NOPD datasets, this project addresses how allegations are either buried, miscategorized, or insufficiently investigated, offering a clearer, more detailed picture of NOPD's practices:

• Source: NOPD's public portal (data.nola.gov).
• Content: Generalized misconduct classifications such as "Neglect of Duty".
• Anonymity: No officer names included.

• Source: Internal affairs division (PIB).
• Content: Misconduct described in brief summaries.
• Anonymity: No officer names included.

• Source: Monthly misconduct logs sent to the DA’s office, adhering to Brady standards.
• Content: Policy-level misconduct classifications.
• Anonymity: Officer names included.

• Source: Comprehensive investigative reports generated by NOPD's internal affairs department.
• Content: Initial complaint forms, interviews, pictures, etc.
• Anonymity: Officer names included.

• Detailed Mapping and Analysis: Map policy-level misconduct classifications from Dataset 3 to the more generic descriptions in Dataset 1 and detailed summaries in Dataset 2, revealing potential discrepancies in categorization and reporting.
• Voice to the Voiceless: Highlight and bring forward the experiences of survivors and victims of state violence, ensuring their stories are heard and not obscured by bureaucratic reporting.

• Incident: N/A
• Allegation: Adherence to law.

• Incident: The complainant alleged that during the interaction, the officer gestured to his body-worn camera and subtly shook his head 'no' when asking if any physical altercation had occurred. This gesture was interpreted by the complainant as the officer guiding her to deny any physical altercation. She expressed fear about the potential consequences her husband might face if she reported the truth.
• Allegation: Adherence to law

• Incident: The complainant alleged that during the interaction, the officer gestured to his body-worn camera and subtly shook his head 'no' when asking if any physical altercation had occurred. This gesture was interpreted by the complainant as the officer guiding her to deny any physical altercation. She expressed fear about the potential consequences her husband might face if she reported the truth.
• Allegation: Adherence to law
• Policy Violation Cited: 14:35.3 relative to domestic abuse battery