Mother-son NOPD officers arrested for assaulting nightclub security www.privateofficer.com

 

New Orleans LA May 27 2011- Two New Orleans police officers were arrested Wednesday for allegedly hitting a security guard at a bar in the 1500 block of Basin St. early Sunday morning.

Sgt. Emelda Blanco, and her son, Officer Gerald Blanco, were charged with simple battery, according to a police spokesperson. The incident happened shortly after midnight at Robertson’s Vieux Carre Lounge.

Sgt. Blanco, 50, is a 25-year veteran of the NOPD. Her son, 31, has been on the force for three years. Both have been suspended without pay pending an investigation by the Public Integrity Bureau.

The two were off-duty when the incident occurred. Both police officers have been released from jail, according to court documents.

The security officer involved in the incident, Derrick Blackston, says Gerald Blanco tried to enter the club with a loaded gun.

“I asked him, why are you trying to bring this weapon in here. He showed me his badge and his ID and I informed him that even though he’s a police officer, he wasn’t allowed to have a loaded weapon in there,” says Blackston

Blackston says Blanco was upset but left without incident. Then early Sunday morning, Blackston says Gerald Blanco and his mother, Emelda Blanco walked up to him at the door of the lounge.

“She informed me that she was a police officer for NOPD and that she had a son that worked for NOPD as a police officer. The fellow, the police officer that I had that past experience with. He walked up into the doorway and she informed me that it was her son,” says Blackston

Blackston says he felt threatened and he asked them to leave. He says as he turned away from the officers, Emelda attacked him.

“The mother ran up to me and punched me in the forehead with a closed fist. They rushed me and they tried to jam me up into the wall and we began to struggle. She ended up hitting me with something sharp and it shattered over my left eye. I felt a hand on my weapon like they were trying to grab it out the holster. At one point, the barrel of the weapon was put into my chest,” Says Blackston

Blackston says the club manager broke it up and he says he ended up at the hospital for treatment.

Blackston says he’s happy the arrests were made, but he believes the two officers should have been booked with something more serious than simple battery. Both officers are now out of jail.

The NOPD would not elaborate on exactly what happened, only that both officers were off-duty at the time of the incident.