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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.
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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.
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“It is not just at police headquarters. It is all the districts. The uncleanliness is off the charts,” Kirkpatrick said.