Rats in New Orleans are getting high on marijuana after raiding an evidence room

Rats in the New Orleans police department headquarters are reportedly getting intoxicated from marijuana stored in the evidence room, authorities revealed on Monday.

Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick disclosed the dire condition of the dilapidated building, citing issues such as cockroach infestations, mold, malfunctioning elevators and non-functional bathrooms during a Criminal Justice Committee meeting with city council members.

Kirkpatrick emphasised the contradiction between expressing value for employees and allowing them to work in unacceptable conditions. Rats, rampant in the facility, are even consuming drugs stored in the evidence room, leading to a comical observation that the rodents are now high.

"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 said.

The building's deterioration, evident in rodent droppings on officers' desks and pervasive maintenance problems, has discouraged potential police department recruits from visiting the headquarters due to its unappealing state.

In response to escalating concerns about the building's decay, the city is considering relocating the police headquarters to two floors of a downtown office building for the next decade, awaiting the identification of a permanent space. The city council members have given preliminary approval for a lease agreement for the new location.

The building's issues have been ongoing for over 15 years, with reports of possums and mold affecting the police evidence room.

Chief administrative officer Gilbert Montaño acknowledged the need for relocation, citing a total base rent of $7.6 million over ten years from the general fund as a more feasible option compared to the threefold cost of repairing the existing structure.

Montano acknowledged that the police headquarters is not the only problematic building in the city, expressing the expectation that other criminal justice agencies may also require temporary housing as efforts to address ageing infrastructure continue.

(With inputs from agencies)