The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) and the city’s FBI field office, both strong proponents of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), are leading the investigation into the terrorist attack that claimed at least 15 lives early Wednesday morning, according to a Friday report. Some have blamed the official focus on ‘DEI’ for garnering far more attention than monitoring for potential attacks.
The New Orleans FBI Field Office has been vocal about its commitment to diversity, frequently highlighting its initiatives on social media, particularly in recruitment efforts. A May 20, 2024, press release announced a “Diversity Agent Recruitment (DAR) event” aimed at attracting applicants with “diverse backgrounds, skills, opinions, and perspectives.”
The division’s social media accounts feature numerous posts promoting diversity recruitment, including one encouraging “minorities and women who qualify” to participate in the DAR event. Another post from June 2024 says the agency is “committed to fostering diversity and inclusion by hiring special agents from a variety of unexpected backgrounds.” A July 2021 post captioned “The Value of Diversity” celebrates “Near and Middle East Heritage Month.” Several other posts celebrate black history, women’s history and LGBT pride months.
NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick also serves as an instructor for the FBI’s Law Enforcement Executive Association’s Leadership Training Program. According to the department’s website, she teaches topics such as “Bias and Diversity, Emotional Intelligence, and Leading Generations.” Kirkpatrick also served as chief of the Oakland Police Department, where she “[implemented] equity-based decision-making.” The city’s police commission voted unanimously to fire Kirkpatrick “without cause” in 2020 after three years leading the department, according to NBC Bay Area.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, drove a pickup truck into a crowd on New Orleans’ Bourbon Street early on New Year’s Day, killing at least 15 people and injuring many more, according to an FBI statement. Federal agents reported discovering an ISIS flag, weapons, and a potential IED in his vehicle. Jabbar, who is now deceased, was a U.S. citizen from Texas and had previously served in the U.S. Army, according to Fox13 News. The FBI’s New Orleans Field Office confirmed that at least 15 people were killed and 35 others injured in the attack. “The FBI continues investigating the horrific attack on innocent victims on Bourbon Street in New Orleans in the early morning hours of January 1, 2025,” an updated FBI statement said.