The New Orleans Police Department is battling a slew of unsafe conditions at its headquarters, from faulty elevators to widespread mold.
But that’s not even the worst of it. The department says it’s also facing a major infestation of drugged-up rats at the dilapidated building on Broad Street.
The gang of pesky rodents became “high” after making their way into the department’s evidence room to nosh on narcotics, New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said.
“The rats are eating our marijuana,” Kirkpatrick told the New Orleans City Council on Monday, CBS News reported. “They’re all high.”
The dangerous conditions aren’t just in the evidence room. Rats have been spreading feces everywhere, including on employees’ desks, leading to poor working conditions, CBS affiliate WWL-TV reported. Cockroaches have also overrun the facility, according to Kirkpatrick.
Among the many maintenance hazards, the building also has broken elevators, non-functioning plumbing and an air-conditioning system that’s been out of commission since last summer, The Guardian reported. The repair bill for all the issues reportedly exceeds $6 million, according to The Guardian.
“It is not just at police headquarters. It is all the districts. The uncleanliness is off the charts,” Kirkpatrick said. “The janitorial cleaning [team] deserves an award trying to clean what is uncleanable.”
The New Orleans Police Department didn’t immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
Following Kirkpatrick’s testimony, the City Council voted to approve a 10-year lease agreement for NOPD to move to a new building, costing $670,000 per month, CBS News reported.
According to Chief Administrative Officer Gilbert Montaño, the pricey migration would still cost less than the $30 million it would take to repair the current headquarters, which was built in 1968, CBS News said.
“When we say we value our employees, you can’t say that and at the same time allow people to work in conditions that are not acceptable,” Kirkpatrick explained.