"The rats that ate our marijuana are all high," police chief Anne Kirkpatrick told members of the New Orleans City Council.
Pointing to the disappearance of evidence in some ongoing cases due to the eating of marijuana and confiscated property, the police official stated that this situation needs to be resolved.
According to local media, rats, cockroaches and other vermin have long infested the police department, which was built in 1968.
Kirkpatrick complained that officers have even found rat droppings on their desks.
Speaking to a newspaper, Kirkpatrick said, "It's not just in the police station. It's in all areas. The filth is at an all-time high. The cleaning staff deserves an award for trying to clean up the uncleanable."
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The city's police have been pushing for a new building for years.
"It's horrible," one police officer told a local newspaper, lamenting the rats.
"To be honest, it never recovered from Hurricane Katrina," the same officer said, referring to the disaster that flooded the city in 2005.
New Orleans, with a population of around 400,000, is known for its late-night parties and distinct history as a former Spanish and French colony that has influenced the local culture and food scene.
