New Orleans Police Commander Eddie Selby Reassigned After Telling Officers in Elite Division to Target "Young Black Men"

New Orleans police commander Eddie Selby has been reassigned after reportedly instructing officers in the elite Special Operations Division, to target young black men for questioning as they embarked on downtown patrols. This is discrimination pure and simple. The officers were deployed "in the most popular tourist spots," such as the French Quarter, Central Business District and the Downtown Development District, the Times-Picayune said. All areas where attendees to the Essence Music Festival converged all weekend. In other words, the black folks come to town and it's time to racial profile. Unbelievable.

Selby made the comments to a diverse group of more than 30 people, including patrol officers and ranking supervisors, at a roll call meeting before sending them off to their assignments, the sources said. He told his officers to look for young black males sitting on stoops because they are responsible for recent armed robberies and are likely carrying guns, the sources said. Source: Times-Picayune

Police superintendent Ronal Serpas said there is "no evidence" that Selby's comments led to improper arrests, according to the newspaper. Um, the fact that Eddie Selby even uttered those comments is disturbing and is discriminatory, particularly in light of the fact that this isn't the first time the city of New Orleans has been accused of racial profiling.