Crime update 9.17.07

I'm baaaack...

Geeze, skip a few reports , and... As you probably noticed, there have been no NOcrimeline alerts for a couple of weeks, causing rumors to fly--one reported I had been murdered (maybe wishful thinking by a miscreant from the bad part of town)...actually, the care was much better than that at Touro Infirmary--now, if they only had a Wi-Fi connection there...so I've got to catch up, but luckily Capt. Hosli and Lt. Selby have kept crime down over the span I was out of commission, as they've been doing rather consistently lately.

Of course, there's always a bad apple: You haven't missed much since the last NOcrimeline report 9.3.07, but there was an armed robbery at about 12:19 a.m. Thursday in front of 929 Orleans Ave. The victim, a 48-year-old white man, was walking along the street when he was accosted by 2 black men who forced him onto the stoop, put a gun to his head and took his wallet from his pants' pocket.

The officers responding to the call immediately put out a description of the perpetrators. A police detective cruising the area spotted 2 men matching the description in the 900 block of Conti Street and detained them. The victim was driven to that location and positively identified the perpetrators.

Arrested were: Armand Watson, 34, last known address 331 Basin St., (left), and Edmond Gabriel, 29, last known address 1431 Conti St. (right). Each is being held on a $125,000 bond pending preliminary hearings on 10.11.07. Watson was charged with armed robbery and armed robbery with a firearm and Gabriel was charged with armed robbery with a firearm.

Violent pursesnatching: On Tuesday, 9.11.07, a Harahan couple, a man, 48, and a woman, 43, were returning to their car at about 11:15 p.m. in the 1300 block of Dauphine Street, just around the corner from the Port Of Call on Esplanade Avenue.

As the man was opening the passenger-side door for the woman, he was attacked by 2 black men. One perpetrator slugged the man in the mouth while the other grabbed the woman's purse.

The robbers fled down Dauphine to Barracks Street where they turned toward Bourbon Street. Both perpetrators were described as 20-25 years old, one was wearing a white T-shirt and had medium-length dreadlocks, the other wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans, about 5'9" tall and weighing 135 pounds.

Not exactly Utopia: Sir Thomas More certainly didn't have a bar in mind when he coined the concept of Utopia, and certainly not Utopia Night Club at 227 Bourbon St. The scene of more than its share of trouble, erupted once again Sunday morning around 5:30 a.m. when a group of 5 black partyers were attacked by another group of 5 revelers, one of whom had a 5" knife.

Typical of Utopia's form--putting the unruly out of the club to make it someone else's problem (like last year when a customer was killed after exiting the club)--the club's bouncer tried to put one group out of the club. One of the men tried to re-enter the club he was attacked by the man with the knife.

When it was all done, the knife-wielding perpetrator left 4 victims, including the bouncer, cut up. Two men were in serious critical condition, one with knife wounds to the head, neck and chest; the other had wounds to the face, shoulder and chest. Another victim, who told police the altercation began when one of the perpetrators started grabbing on his wife, was in stable condition with knife wounds.

The perpetrator was seen driving away in a black Nissan X-terra with Louisiana tag PJA 597. No other description was given of the perpetrator and his posse.

Despite all the problems inside and outside of Utopia over the years, the club has had virtual immunity since 2004 when it was shut down by the NOPD for permit and license violations. Owned by powerful businessman Kishore V. Motwani, who has extensive holdings throughout New Orleans, Utopia reopened almost immediately. But 2 weeks later, Capt. Louis Dabdoub, the popular commander of the 8th District, was booted to the 4th District and obscurity. Most believe he was a victim of his zeal to crackdown on the licensing scofflaws--a crackdown Mayor Nagin initially ordered and then retreated from.

***

As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Thom Kahler

Crime update 9.3.07

This is HARD labor...

All that work for what?: The NOPD apprehended one suspect in 2 armed robberies in the French Quarter yesterday. Charles J. Bush, 25, whose last known address was 1531 Conti St., was charged with attempted armed robbery.

The robbery occurred at about 9 p.m. Sunday when 2 black men who had been sitting on the steps at 1030 Burgundy St. stopped a 39-year-old white man who lives in the 900 block of Gov. Nicholls Street who was walking up Burgundy. They demanded "Break it off!" while one of them pointed a black semi-automatic handgun at the victim. The victim exclaimed "I don't have anything," emptying his pockets to show them he had only credit cards on him. The would-be robbers ordered him down on the street and fled on foot down Burgundy, turning on to Ursulines Avenue going toward N. Rampart Street, according to a witness.

Bush was stopped in the 1400 block of N. Rampart at 9:45 p.m. by officers who noticed he fit the description of one of the perpetrators: 5'7" tall, weighing 150 pounds, dark complexion, wearing a long red shirt, a red cap, long black denim shorts, black and white hi-top shoes. The victim positively identified Bush as one of the perpetrators. His accomplice, who was not caught, was described as 18-22 years old, 5'9" tall, weighing 150 pounds, light complexion, wearing a red shirt, blue cap, and had short dreadlocks.

Citizens helped: The involvement of some citizens may have helped in the apprehension of Bush, though they're not so sure. One resident who lives in the 1100 block of Burgundy (between Gov. Nicholls and Ursulines) said he "was sitting on my porch in the 1100 block of Burgundy and noticed 2 young men walking on opposite sides of the street, circling back and following solitary pedestrians. I called 911 and gave the operator a detailed description and location of these guys." But he says he never saw a police car respond.

There's a reason: The victim, after being robbed on Burgundy, ran up St. Philip Street to Rampart to the Meauxbar restaurant, yelling for help. A couple out walking their dog followed him in and found he had been held up by 2 men fitting the description of a suspicious duo they had seen earlier on their walk. They went outside and flagged down a police car--possibly in the area from the other citizen's 911 call. Those officers got a description of the perpetrators and said they would circle the area while a detective called to the scene took a report from the victim--it's likely this unit is he one which located the suspect. And while the citizen who made the 911 call said he never said the police, it's because all the police's dealings with the victim were on Rampart, not Burgundy.

All 3 of these citizens probably had a bigger role in the apprehension of this suspect than they think. And the couple who first noticed the suspects said they will make it a point to take their cellphone with them next time they go out, so they can call 911 if they see something suspicious. (I take mine with me when I take the garbage to the curb!)

Not so lucky: In an earlier armed robbery yesterday, a 29-year-old white man who lives in the 600 block of Ursulines Avenue who was walking home from his shift as a bartender, was robbed at 6:30 a.m. by 3 black thugs loitering in the 500 block of Burgundy. As he tried to walk by them, they grabbed him and one stuck a gun in his side. They went through his pockets and took his iPod and a wallet containing $75. The hoods fled up Burgundy to Conti Street. The victim reported the theft at the 8th District station at Conti and Royal streets.

The 3 perpetrators were all described as about 21 years old and:

• 6'1" tall, wearing a black "Biggie Small" shirt, blue jeans, blue baseball cap, armed with a blue steel revolver with black grips;
• 5'6" tall, weighing 140 pounds, wearing a black shirt and blue jeans;
• 5'7" tall, weighing 150 pounds, wearing a white shirt and blue jeans.
  

Not so strange: In the last NOcrimeline report, we thought it was strange the police classified a would-be rape as an "aggravated burglary." As it turned out, the incident (in which a man forced his way into another man's apartment at gunpoint) turned out to be more of an "aggravated battery." But by classifying it as a burglary, the penalty is about twice as great: upon conviction, a minimum of one year and a maximum of 30 years at hard labor.

Truth is...: In the same report, we accused Superintendent Warren Riley of taking away the individual NOPD districts' control over sex crimes, making it difficult for local commanders to explain to citizens in their districts what has happened in a sex crime. Truth is, sex crimes have been the province of the sex squad since long before Riley, even before Chief Pennington was here.

The reason: Interviewing victims of sex crimes require sensitive and complex techniques, training beyond what the average detective has.

How it works: When a sex crime is reported to 911, an officer from the local NOPD district is dispatched to take initial information and determine if it is a sex crime. Then a sex squad detective is usually called while the uniformed officer is still on the scene. From that point on, any investigation is handled by the sex squad and any information released is up to the commander of that unit.

Solution: While residents are naturally concerned when sex crimes occur in their neighborhoods, it is difficult to divine the line between what the public needs to know and what needs to be confidential. In an ideal world of enlightened police departments, some one would come up with a formula that would satisfy everyone. In an ideal world...

***

As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Thom Kahler

Crime update 8.31.07

What IS going on here?

Break-in just another name for rape?: First, the French Quarter is nervous as hell about the attempted rape of a school girl in a Royal Street shop. Reports crop up that other women may have been attacked by the same perpetrator. Then a woman is raped last Sunday in--of all places--the restroom of a gay bar, Bourbon Pub. Now a man is sexually attacked Wednesday night by another man who followed him home from another gay bar, Cafe Lafitte's in Exile--and the police are labeling it "aggravated burglary." Aggravated, in deed!

In Wednesday's incident, the victim, a 25-year-old white man, met the perpetrator at Lafitte's while socializing with a female co-worker. The 2 men walked the woman to her home at about 10:30 p.m. and then the perpetrator followed the victim to his home in the 1200 block of Chartres Street. Once there, he pulled a handgun and forced his way into the victim's apartment.

The perpetrator announced his intentions and forced the victim to take off his pants and get into bed. The perpetrator disrobed completely and got into the bed also. The victim informed the perpetrator he had Crohn's Disease which would make the perpetrator's intentions a messy proposition. Instead, the perpetrator fondled the victim through his underwear but didn't engage in any other sexual activity.

The perpetrator left about 2:30 a.m., taking the victim's car keys and cellphone (perhaps this is why it was classified a burglary). Later the victim discovered his car missing from where it was parked on Chartres near Esplanade Avenue.

The perpetrator was described as a white man, about 40 years old, 5'11" tall, weighing 165 pounds, wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans.

No wonder they're nervous: The suspect in last Sunday's rape at the Bourbon Pub has been let loose. Randall Treadway, 40, had been charged with aggravated rape and was being held on a $100,000 bond. But on Wednesday a judge allowed a friend of Treadway's to sign a personal guarantee bond for $50,000 of the amount and required only $50,000 to be posted as a surety bond. Treadway walked free Wednesday afternoon and is not due back in court until 9.10.07 for a preliminary hearing.

Another victim?: Another woman has come forward--sort of--and thinks she may also have been the victim of the guy who assaulted the girl at the Royal Street shop on 8.12.07. And she wonders if it might not be the same guy involved in the Bourbon Pub incident 8.26.07.

She doesn't say where it happened, but says "on a recent Sunday a.m. about 9:55 (if my memory serves me correctly it was 8.12) I was accosted by a man fitting the description of the perp involved in the one and possibly 2 sexual assaults...I screamed at him and slugged him. I then went to my shop and called in a report, location and description."

The woman, a merchant in the 600 block of Toulouse Street, doesn't indicate if she called 911 or the 8th District station house. After reading about the Royal Street attack, she says, "I called the police to make certain my report was recorded and to let them know I would offer my help. I was brushed off and no effort (was made) by them to follow up. If the rape at the (Bourbon) Pub was the same man, then I blame the police for not following up the incident on 8.12.07 and my phone call."

Here's the problem: Everyone wants to blame the 8th District NOPD for not keeping them posted on these recent sexual assaults. But, unfortunately, their hands are tied. Big Chief Riley, in his wisdom, has taken away the individual police districts' control over investigating sex crimes and homicides. The district gets the initial 911 call, but then the case is turned over to the sex squad for further investigation.

Unlike the cooperation NOcrimeline gets from the 8th District, we have no similar inroads with the sex or homicide squads to get information. So what happens is citizens are left wondering what's going on, if a perp has been arrested, or is walking the streets, of just what they should be aware of.

That's not a good system. Let Big Chief Riley, or maybe even Councilman Jaames Carter, know if you agree.

Another robbery, another arrest: 8th District cops were quick to make an arrest of a suspect in a robbery on Dumaine Street at 2:29 a.m. today. The victim, a white man from River Ridge whose age was not indicated, was walking in the 1000 block of Dumaine when a black man walking from the opposite direction pulled a silver-plated semi-automatic handgun from his waistband and pointed it at him. The perpetrator ordered the victim to remove everything from his pants pockets and place it on the steps of the building they were in front of. The victim was told to walk away while the perpetrator fled in the opposite direction. When the victim returned, he found his wallet missing but that his cellphone and pager were still there.

The perpetrator was described as 25-30 years old, 6'1" tall, weighing 165 pounds, wearing a red T-shirt, blue jeans, and red cap (not exactly a wise choice for career clothing). The police were able to get a positive ID from a photo line-up of Donny Pierre, 35, whose last known address was in the 1100 block of N. Villere Street, and charge him with armed robbery with a firearm. He has a long criminal history going back for years with arrests--but few convictions--for rape, forgery, bank fraud, forcible rape, false imprisonment, soliciting crime against nature, simple and armed robbery, and so on.

Another warrant for another robbery: Another warrant has been issued for the arrest of Christopher Hoard for a second armed robbery. He is now wanted for the armed robbery 8.24.07 of a man walking in the 1000 block of Dauphine Street at about 9:30 p.m.

Hoard, 18, is also wanted for the armed robbery 8.6.07 of 2 Baton Rouge men in the 200 block of Burgundy. Hoard is a black man, 5'9" tall, weighing 165 pounds, with dreadlocks.

His last known address is 308 Burgundy St. A NOcrimeline subscriber, noting the address is in the French Quarter, suggested putting pressure on the landlord to run him and his family out of their apartment. The property is owned by a real estate company which has a number of other properties in and near the Quarter. You can look it up in the assessor's property records.

But considering this guy hasn't got the memo yet that robbers aren't welcome in the French Quarter and Marigny Triangle, let's hope Lt. Eddie Selby's night patrols take him down soon.

***

As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Thom Kahler

Crime update 8.28.07

Any connection?

Makes you wonder: Although the NOPD's sex crimes squad is handling this latest case, 8th District Commander Capt. Edwin Hosli is wondering if there's any connection between a rape Sunday night on Bourbon Street and an attempted rape 2 weeks earlier on Royal Street.

8th District officers arrested Randall Treadway for the rape of a 19-year-old white woman in the restroom of the Bourbon Pub, the largest gay bar/nightclub in New Orleans. Treadway, a 40-year-old black man, was arrested at the scene and booked into OPP on a charge of aggravated rape. He is being held on a bond of $100,000.

Though no detailed description of this suspect is available, what has Capt. Hosli worried is that in the attempted rape on Royal, the perpetrator was described as a black man with a light complexion, in his 40s, about 5' 5" tall, skinny, with short hair or bald headed, and a gold tooth or two, wearing a black T-shirt and blue shorts.

In an incident on 8.12,07, a 17-year-old white girl working alone as a clerk that Sunday morning at Sabai jewelry store, 924 Royal St., was assaulted by a black man who pulled down his pants and was trying to pull down hers. The attack was thwarted by an artist working next door who came in the shop and chased the attacker off, pursuing him on foot until he fled down N. Rampart Street.

***

As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Thom Kahler

Crime update 8.25.07

Keep your guard up...

They're still out there: Though it's been relatively quiet since Lt. Eddie Selby sicced his crew of cops on the robbers in the Lower French Quarter and Marigny Triangle the first of this month, the bad guys are still out there. And Dauphine Street between Ursulines Avenue and St. Philip Street seems to be their happy hunting ground lately.

Last night (8.24.07) at about 9:35 p.m. a white man walking in the 1000 block of Dauphine was held up at gunpoint by a black guy. The robber got all of $25 and a military ID from the victim before fleeing in a white van that was waiting near Ursulines. The perpetrator was described as being 18-25 years old, 5'10" tall, weighing 180 pounds, clean shaven, hair in dredlocks, wearing dark clothing.

It's nearly the same location where a 40-year-old couple thwarted an armed robbery 8.15.07 at Dauphine and Ursulines by throwing a cup of hot coffee on the would-be robber. The robber and his accomplice were described as: a black man, 18-25 years old, 5'6" tall, weighing 160 pounds, clean shaven, with short hair, wearing a black T-shirt and dark jeans; the other was a black man, 20-25 years old, 5'10" tall, weighing 220 pounds, clean shaven, with short hair, wearing a black T-shirt and dark jeans.

How to Describe a Suspect: It's amazing how many suspects Lt. Selby and his crew are able to round up, considering the sometimes scant descriptions they have to work with. And it does seem so many of the descriptions all fit one guy, which of course isn't so. Here are some tips from the Chicago Police Department that might help:

To capture a criminal in these highly mobile times, it is of utmost importance for the police to promptly obtain an accurate description. Following are some of the most important identifiers the police need to apprehend criminal suspects. Keep this information in mind so that you can give the police an accurate description of any criminal or criminal incident you may observe.

Location information is critical:

• Observe where you are and the exact location of the crime. Try to remember if you have ever seen the suspect in the area before.
• Note the time as precisely as possible.
• Observe if the suspect is carrying a weapon and, if so, what type-revolver, handgun, shotgun, knife, etc.
• If the suspect leaves the scene, note the direction of flight.
• If the suspect is in a vehicle , note as much of the following information as possible: vehicle type (auto, truck, van, etc.); color; make and model; condition (dirty, damaged, etc.); and license plate numbers. Note also if the vehicle has no license plates or a "license applied for" sticker in the rear windshield.
• Watch for decoys or accomplices.

A variety of general description information about the suspect should be noted:

• Sex
• Race or national origin
• Age (estimated)
• Height: use comparisons with your own height, a door, or some other standard measure
• Weight (estimated)
• Build: fat, husky, slim, muscular, etc.

Facial information is also important:

• Hair: note the color, texture, hairline, style; also possible dyes or wigs
• Forehead: note forehead height, and whether the skin is smooth, creased or wrinkled
• Eyes: note the color, shape (round, slanted), whether clear or bloodshot, and the heaviness of eyelashes and eyebrows
• Nose: overall shape (long, wide, flat, etc.) and nostrils (wide, narrow, flared) are important
• Cheeks: is the flesh sunken, filled out, dried or oily? are there wrinkles around nose or mouth? are cheek bones high or low, wide or narrow?
• Ears: note size and prominence (protruding or flat against head)
• Mouth: are lips thin, medium, full? do corners turn up, turn down, or level?
• Chin: what is the shape (round, oval, pointed, square)? double chin, dimpled, cleft?
• Neck: note protruding Adam's apple or hanging jowls
• Complexion: note pores, pockmarks, acne, razor rash, bumps
• Facial hair: clean shaven? unshaven? beard, mustache, goatee, sideburns?
• Tattoos: shape and style; on what part of the body

Clothing information is also very important:

• Hat: note color, style, ornaments, how it is worn (bill forward, backward, to one side)
• Coat: note color and style (suit coat, jacket, topcoat, overcoat)
• Shirt/blouse/dress: note color, design, sleeves, collar
• Trousers/slacks/skirt: note color, style, cuffs
• Socks: note color, pattern, length
• Shoes: note color, style, brand name for sneakers (if possible), condition
• Accessories: sweater, scarf, gloves, necktie
• Jewelry: rings, watches, bracelets, necklaces
• General appearance: neat or sloppy? clean or dirty?
• Oddities: look for clothing too large or too small; odd colors; patchwork

Other physical features or peculiarities:

• Voice: pitch, tone, rasp, lisp
• Speech: articulate, uneducated, accent, use of slang
• Gait: slow, fast, limp

You will never be able to remember all of these details about any one suspect you may see. But remembering as many as possible can be particularly helpful to the police and to your community.

***

As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Thom Kahler

How to describe a suspect

It's amazing how many suspects the NOPD actually rounds up, considering the sometimes scant descriptions they have to work with. And it does seem so many of the descriptions all fit one guy, which of course isn't so. Here are some tips from the Chicago Police Department that might help:

To capture a criminal in these highly mobile times, it is of utmost importance for the police to promptly obtain an accurate description. Following are some of the most important identifiers the police need to apprehend criminal suspects. Keep this information in mind so that you can give the police an accurate description of any criminal or criminal incident you may observe.

Location information is critical:

• Observe where you are and the exact location of the crime. Try to remember if you have ever seen the suspect in the area before.
• Note the time as precisely as possible.
• Observe if the suspect is carrying a weapon and, if so, what type-revolver, handgun, shotgun, knife, etc.
• If the suspect leaves the scene, note the direction of flight.
• If the suspect is in a vehicle , note as much of the following information as possible: vehicle type (auto, truck, van, etc.); color; make and model; condition (dirty, damaged, etc.); and license plate numbers. Note also if the vehicle has no license plates or a "license applied for" sticker in the rear windshield.
• Watch for decoys or accomplices.

A variety of general description information about the suspect should be noted:

• Sex
• Race or national origin
• Age (estimated)
• Height: use comparisons with your own height, a door, or some other standard measure
• Weight (estimated)
• Build: fat, husky, slim, muscular, etc.

Facial information is also important:

• Hair: note the color, texture, hairline, style; also possible dyes or wigs
• Forehead: note forehead height, and whether the skin is smooth, creased or wrinkled
• Eyes: note the color, shape (round, slanted), whether clear or bloodshot, and the heaviness of eyelashes and eyebrows
• Nose: overall shape (long, wide, flat, etc.) and nostrils (wide, narrow, flared) are important
• Cheeks: is the flesh sunken, filled out, dried or oily? are there wrinkles around nose or mouth? are cheek bones high or low, wide or narrow?
• Ears: note size and prominence (protruding or flat against head)
• Mouth: are lips thin, medium, full? do corners turn up, turn down, or level?
• Chin: what is the shape (round, oval, pointed, square)? double chin, dimpled, cleft?
• Neck: note protruding Adam's apple or hanging jowls
• Complexion: note pores, pockmarks, acne, razor rash, bumps
• Facial hair: clean shaven? unshaven? beard, mustache, goatee, sideburns?
• Tattoos: shape and style; on what part of the body

Clothing information is also very important:

• Hat: note color, style, ornaments, how it is worn (bill forward, backward, to one side)
• Coat: note color and style (suit coat, jacket, topcoat, overcoat)
• Shirt/blouse/dress: note color, design, sleeves, collar
• Trousers/slacks/skirt: note color, style, cuffs
• Socks: note color, pattern, length
• Shoes: note color, style, brand name for sneakers (if possible), condition
• Accessories: sweater, scarf, gloves, necktie
• Jewelry: rings, watches, bracelets, necklaces
• General appearance: neat or sloppy? clean or dirty?
• Oddities: look for clothing too large or too small; odd colors; patchwork

Other physical features or peculiarities:

• Voice: pitch, tone, rasp, lisp
• Speech: articulate, uneducated, accent, use of slang
• Gait: slow, fast, limp

You will never be able to remember all of these details about any one suspect you may see. But remembering as many as possible can be particularly helpful to the police and to your community.

Crime update 8.23.07

The heat is on...

It's hard to tell whether it's the record-breaking temperatures or the heated-up undercover patrols in recent weeks, but crime has been virtually non-existent in the 8th District. Yeah, there have been a couple of minor (if there's such a thing) robberies up around Canal Street near the CBD, but nothing to worry the French Quarter and Marigny Triangle neighborhoods. Even the auto thieves have slacked off dramatically, though car break-ins are still a pain.

Shot down and charged up: The guy who thought he could out draw the NOPD got out of the hospital Tuesday and was arrested and then charged yesterday with 2 counts of armed robbery with a firearm.

Vincent Beverly, 18, who was shot on Chartres Street by a member of the vaunted undercover patrol on 8.2.07 was charged with robbing 2 Mississippi men on 7.23.07 in the 1400 block of Royal Street and robbing a Times-Picayune editor on 7.28.07 in the 1200 block of Bourbon Street. Beverly, whose last known address was 6001 Downman Rd., was also charged for aggravated assault with a firearm and simple battery for his confrontation with the 2 NOPD officers. He is being held on $107,500 bond pending a preliminary hearing 9.5.07 in magistrate court.

The suspect reportedly will be paralyzed for life from the single gunshot wound. And with his legal future clouded as well, it seems like it was a pretty stupid way to make a couple of hundred bucks--the amount the robberies netted.

Be on the look out: The NOPD has issued an arrest warrant for a guy who apparently likes to work close to home. Christopher Hoard, 18, whose last known address is 308 Burgundy St., is wanted for the armed robbery 8.6.07 of 2 Baton Rouge men in the 200 block of Burgundy. Hoard is a black man, 5'9" tall, weighing 165 pounds, possibly with dreadlocks.

"What we have here...": A failure to communicate seems to have merchants in the 900 block of Royal Street stirred up and the NOPD feeling unjustly accused of failing to respond.

What we know is this: On Sunday morning, 8.12.07, a man attempted to rape a high school junior working as a clerk in Sabai Jewelry, 924 Royal St. An art gallery owner named Mr. Smith walked by, saw the attack and thwarted it. He called 911 at 10:21 a.m. while he pursued the perpetrator who turned down St. Philip Street toward N. Rampart Street.

Where it gets murky: According to Lt. Reginald A. Jacque of the 8th District, police units were in the area within 5 minutes. But by that time the perpetrator had fled into Treme, according to Mr. Smith. The cops on the scene "could not locate Mr. Smith who was on the move and hung-up on the complaint (911) operator. Police were further kept out of the loop because the address of the original incident was never given."

Units from both the 8th and 1st District (across Rampart) scoured the area for a perpetrator described as a black man, light complexion, approximately 48 years old, bald headed, and gold teeth. He was last seen wearing a black shirt and blue jeans.

Further complicating the investigation is the victim's apparent lack of cooperation with the police. The store owner said the girl was starting school the next day but that he would tell her that the police needed to talk to her to get information they needed to do an investigation.

Lesson to be learned: When you report a crime, stay on the phone with 911 for as long as it takes and no matter how dumb or repetitious the operator's questions sound. I've had my own problems with 911 in the past, but I've usually been surprised at how quickly help has come. And follow up with a call to the 8th District station (658-6080) to make sure the police have all the information they need from you.

Huh? : If you go to the NOPD's website and look at its phone directory, it lists Capt. Edwin Hosli as the commander of the 7th District and Capt. Kevin Anderson as the commander of the 8th. The directory is not outdated; it lists the captain who replaced Hosli as commander of the 2nd District. Hosli, who's never commanded the 7th, assures us "I'm not going anywhere." And Anderson's not coming back here.

What's disturbing is this: If Big Chief Warren Riley can't keep track of his commanders, how can he fight crime? If he doesn't know where his top brass is, how in hell will he ever find where the bad guys are? You can argue, well, it wasn't Riley himself who made the mistake. Probably true enough, but it was done by someone whom he counts on to help fight crime. If they can't do this simple task correctly, what confidence do you have that they could, oh say, solve the murders of Helen Hill or Robin Malta or Chris Roberts? Every one seems to want Eddie Jordan's scalp to solve the crime problem. Perhaps they need to look at the other culprits in the mix.

And we're glad too: Jimmy Delery, who lives in the 2nd District where Capt. Hosli and his sidekick, Lt. Eddie Selby, came from, says he "can tell you in no uncertain terms the two Eddies are some of the best and most professional cops in this city. We miss Hosli and Selby. I just hope Riley realizes want kind of good police officers they are!" We hope so too--and that he knows where they are.

***

As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Thom Kahler