Henry Morris collection
Scope and Contents
The records in the collection span the 1950s - 1980s and include items that Morris personaly collected, rather than the official records of the New Orleans Police Department.
The inventory of official records of the New Olreans Police Department that have been transferred to the Louisiana Division/City Archives & Special Collections can be found on our website.
The photograph collection represents primarily images taken during Morrison's time on the NOPD and reflect activities there. A collection of images that include accident and crime scenes have been included in an unprocessed collection of similar photographs transferred by the NOPD.
The acronym NOPD is used in place of New Orleans Police Department.
Dates
- Creation: 1950s-1980s
Creator
- Morris, Henry (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Available to registered researchers by appointment.
Requesting Materials
Conditions Governing Use
Reproduction or use of materials is prohibited without the permission of the City Archives & Special Collections. Please review the Archives' Permission to Publish note.
Biographical / Historical
Henry M. Morris served as Superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department during the first and second administrations of Mayor Ernest N. Morial, from November 24, 1980 to January 20, 1985. His service as "Chief of Police" capped a long and distinguished career in local law enforcement.
A native of New Orleans (born in 1922) Morris joined the NOPD in 1946 following his discharge from the U.S. Army. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1951, to Lieutenant in 1957, to Major in 1968, and to Deputy Chief in 1979. During those years his commands included the Sixth District, the Tactical Unit, the K-9 Corps, the Detective Bureau, the Patrol Bureau, and the Technical Services Bureau. He was graduated from the Southern Police Institute (Louisville, Kentucky) in 1955 and was also a graduate of the FBI National Executive Institute. In 1961 Morris received a Charles E. Dunbar Career Service award, two NOPD medals of honor, and, in 1984, the Louisiana Civil Service League's Monte M. Lemann Award.
Not only was Henry Morris a "cop's cop" (in the words of another former NOPD superintendent, Joseph I. Giarrusso, Jr.) and a historian, serving as president of the Louisiana Historical Association during 1981-1982. His interest in the history of the NOPD led him to make sure that important police department records were transferred to the City Archives here at the New Orleans Public Library.
October 1946 - January 1951: Patrol Officer, 2nd District
January 1951 – May 1957: Sergeant
May 1957 – January 1958: Lieutenant, 6th Police District
January 1958 – December 1960: Commanding Officer, Tactical Unit
December 1960 – April 1968: Captain, Commanding Officer K-9 Corps
April 1968 – January 1979: Major, Chief of Detectives
January 1979 – December 1980: Deputy Chief, Patrol and Technical Services
December 1980 – January 1985: Superintendent of Police
Extent
3 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
English
Subject
- New Orleans (La.). Police Department (Organization)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Repository
City Archives & Special Collections
219 Loyola Avenue
New Orleans LA 70112
504-596-2610
archivist@nolalibrary.org