, ▁Frank ▁got ▁a ▁second ▁chance ▁to ▁apply . ▁The ▁N OP D ▁was ▁chron ically ▁short - hand ed ; ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁its ▁officers ▁were ▁paid ▁lower ▁than ▁in ▁similarly - s ized ▁cities , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁losing ▁officers ▁faster ▁than ▁they ▁could ▁be ▁replaced . ▁Its ▁ranks ▁had ▁been ▁dec im ated ▁by ▁several ▁arr ests ▁for ▁murder ▁and ▁drug ▁activity . ▁Many ▁potential ▁applic ants ▁were ▁shut ▁out ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁requirement ▁that ▁all ▁officers ▁be ▁residents ▁of ▁New ▁Orleans ▁– ▁a ▁requirement ▁that ▁was ▁only ▁changed ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁▁ ▁Additionally , ▁Frank ▁was ▁a ▁black ▁female , ▁and ▁police ▁officials ▁thought ▁having ▁more ▁African - Amer icans ▁on ▁the ▁force ▁would ▁ease ▁long standing ▁ra cial ▁t ensions ▁in ▁the ▁majority - black ▁city . ▁Frank ▁was ▁h ired ▁on ▁February ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁and ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁Police ▁Academy ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 8 . ▁ ▁Although ▁Frank ▁graduated ▁near ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁her ▁a cademy ▁class , ▁her ▁ten ure ▁with ▁the ▁N OP D ▁was ▁mostly ▁und ist ingu ished . ▁Her ▁fellow ▁officers ▁thought ▁she ▁was ▁rather ▁sh y , ▁had ▁no ▁idea ▁what ▁police ▁work ▁really ▁ent a iled , ▁and ▁lack ed ▁the ▁decis iveness ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁good ▁officer . ▁At ▁times , ▁they ▁thought ▁she ▁ve ered ▁into ▁ir r ational ▁behavior . ▁As ▁early ▁as ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁Frank ' s ▁super