New Orleans City Council could force OPSO to use a new financial system after escapes

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - New Orleans City Council President JP Morrell said he wants more financial transparency from the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO).

He introduced an ordinance at a special-called meeting Wednesday (May 28) aimed at making that happen.

The ordinance would require OPSO and other city-funded criminal justice agencies to adopt a financial system known as BRASS to manage city funds.

Currently, OPSO does not use BRASS, which city council and administration leaders say limits their visibility into the agency’s finances.

The issue led to tense exchanges between Morrell and Sheriff Susan Hutson during a May 20 council committee meeting.

Hutson requested immediate financial assistance from the council after the escape of 10 detainees.

“When you say ‘jump,’ you want us to say ‘how high.’ If you’re in the same system as every other department and you have a need and we can compare it with every other department with the same needs then we can look at that accountability and make moves,” Morrell said.

The ordinance requires OPSO to transition to BRASS within a year. It also requires OPSO to provide detailed monthly financial reports within 90 days.

“(The council is) disinterested in giving the sheriff’s office more money until we have full transparency with how much money they’re sitting on because it is not fair to the city of New Orleans,” Morrell said.

It also requires the following agencies to transition in the corresponding timeframes:

One year:

• Orleans Parish District Attorney
• Orleans Parish Criminal District Court

Two years:

• Clerk of Orleans Parish Criminal District Court
• Municipal and Traffic Court
• Orleans Parish Communications District
• Orleans Parish Coroner
• Orleans Parish Juvenile Court
• Orleans Public Defender

Morrell said he is open to shifting the timelines for other agencies, but OPSO would remain one year.

Council Vice President Helena Moreno expressed support for the ordinance.

“It’s really important to understand what type of funding these agencies really have,” she said.

District D Councilmember Eugene Green said he supports the ordinance, but expressed concern that the escapes are what brought the ordinance about. He said BRASS should have been implemented sooner.

Councilmembers Freddie King, Joe Giarrusso and Moreno are also listed as authors.

Fox 8 has reached out to OPSO for comment. Toward the end of the May 20 meeting, Hutson expressed a willingness to study BRASS.

OPSO Chief Financial Officer Bianka Brown attended the meeting but declined to comment.

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