Anne Kirkpatrick, a veteran cop but newcomer to New Orleans, gets city council OK as police chief

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans’ City Council has approved the appointment of Anne Kirkpatrick as the city’s new police chief. Kirkpatrick has served as chief of police in Spokane, Washington, and Oakland, California. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced in June that Kirkpatrick was her choice to replace Shaun Ferguson, who retired last year. Kirkpatrick has been serving on an interim basis. She takes over a department facing numerous challenges, including dwindling manpower and continuing efforts to conform with a broad reform agreement with the U.S. Justice Department since 2013. Thursday’s vote to approve Kirkpatrick was 6-1.