The New Orleans Police Department denied a claim Saturday that Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick is a finalist to be police chief in Los Angeles.
Burke Consulting Firm's CEO, Alma Burke, who is retired from the Los Angeles Police Department, posted a list on social media that included a photo of Kirkpatrick among the others said to be candidates.
"Exciting news," read the post, which appeared on the business networking site LinkedIn. "More than half of the candidates have shown exceptional leadership skills and a deep commitment to serving and protecting the people of Los Angeles."
NOPD spokesperson Reese Harper denied the claim.
"This is not an official list, and (Kirkpatrick) is not a candidate for the LAPD Chief of Police position," Harper said in an email Saturday afternoon.
Harper would not respond to questions on why Kirkpatrick might have been included in Burke's post. Burke would clarify days later that she is not part of the search committee and was only an "interested observer and supporter of some of the candidates on the list."
Kirkpatrick has been on the job in New Orleans for less than a year. She was hired in late 2023 following a nationwide search for a new NOPD superintendent. She was formerly police chief in Oakland, California.
Staff Writer Ben Myers contributed to this report.
Correction: This post was changed on July 16, 2024 to reflect that Burke has no official role in the search for the new LAPD chief.