Eddie Compass

Eddie Compass
Chief of Police of the New Orleans Police Department
In office
May 25, 2002 – September 27, 2005
Preceded byRichard Pennington
Succeeded byWarren Riley

Edwin P. Compass, III is a former Chief of Police of the New Orleans Police Department. He resigned as Chief of Police on September 27, 2005.[1]

Compass, who earlier said he was organizing a tribunal to handle the cases of 249 officers who left their posts without permission during Hurricane Katrina,[2] did not give any reason for his resignation. Compass' resignation followed a few days after an emergency injunction was handed down, prohibiting him “from confiscating lawfully-possessed firearms from citizens ... “[3] Compass, who has been nicknamed "AWOL" by his former colleagues, has declared that he was forced to resign his post.[4]

His actions subsequently led to the passage of the Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act.