Sunday, February 26, 2006
Police Officer on St Charles
The Police officer stood on St. Charles watching tourists walk by with layers of bead necklaces. In the middle of the street on the tracks where the street car usually runs many had set up lawn chairs and tents in preparation for the 11am parade in an hour.
"I see why they did it," he said. "I know this is one of those times when the city needs whatever money it can get, but as far as the police department are concerned I don't think it should'nt have gone down, because of how much we've seen, what we've been through and what we're still going through."
The officer who has been on the force since 1988 and who stayed through Katrina noted that this a particularly difficult time for the force because they're being kicked off of the Cruise ship FEMA provided for housing for the force. He said that most members of the force don't have houses or apartments availbile for them. His part of New Orleans, New Orleans East, a middle class black neighborhood received severe flooding.
He said many members of the force are already under great strain because they don't get to see their families.
"You can't function without your family," he said. "Out here (in New Orleans) you're really basically by yourself, you got no support system, no shoulder to cry on."
The officer had only been back to see his wife, son, and daughter in Houston three times since the storm.
"They just shouldn't have done this," he said, referring to Mardi Gras.
The officer's shift ended at five.
"I see why they did it," he said. "I know this is one of those times when the city needs whatever money it can get, but as far as the police department are concerned I don't think it should'nt have gone down, because of how much we've seen, what we've been through and what we're still going through."
The officer who has been on the force since 1988 and who stayed through Katrina noted that this a particularly difficult time for the force because they're being kicked off of the Cruise ship FEMA provided for housing for the force. He said that most members of the force don't have houses or apartments availbile for them. His part of New Orleans, New Orleans East, a middle class black neighborhood received severe flooding.
He said many members of the force are already under great strain because they don't get to see their families.
"You can't function without your family," he said. "Out here (in New Orleans) you're really basically by yourself, you got no support system, no shoulder to cry on."
The officer had only been back to see his wife, son, and daughter in Houston three times since the storm.
"They just shouldn't have done this," he said, referring to Mardi Gras.
The officer's shift ended at five.
// posted by The Nortones @ 4:43 AM 
