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

The records in the collection span the 1950's - 1980's and includes items that Morris's 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.

Folder	Date	Series	Note	Box #	Folder #
1946 Recruit Class		Professional	Morris was in the class	2	13
American Leigon	1978,1980, 1982-1983, 1985	Personal	"The Police Post"	1	3
Annual Inspection and Memorial Service for Police and Fire Departments	1977, 1982, 1984, 1986-1989	Professional		1	15
Anti-Integration Flyers		General		2	30
Appointment to Superintendent	1981	Correspondence	Congratulations cards and letters	2	1
Articles of Incorperation for the Police Foundation Inc.	07/08/1962	NOPD General		1	8
Biography - Henry Morris		Professional		1	11
Bite Out of Crime USPS Stamp		General		1	9
Blueprint for Police Progress	05/31/1966	NOPD General	Metropolitan Crime Commission	1	42
Bureau of Identification		Professional		2	52
Certificates		Professional		2	10
Certificates of Appreciation		Professional		2	8
Certificates of Completion		Professional		2	9
Charles de Gaulle Visit	04/28-29, 1960	NOPD General	Includes security plans, programs, invitations	1	38
Charles E. Dunbar Award	1961	Professional		2	33
Chiefs of Police Associations		Professional	National and State; Membership Cards, Conference Badges	2	58
City Council Commendation	01/19/1978	Professional		2	14
Civil Service Test	1956	Professional		2	54
Clippings - Police Strike	02-03/1979	Publications		2	25
Confederate Museum Pennant		General	New Orleans	2	43
Construction of the Sixth District Police Station	1960	NOPD General		1	6
Correspondence - Personal	1966-1977	Correspondence		1	43
Correspondence - Personal	1983-1989	Correspondence		1	44
Correspondence - Professional	1960-1965	Correspondence		2	2
Correspondence - Professional	1966	Correspondence		2	3
Correspondence - Professional	1967	Correspondence		2	4
Correspondence - Professional	1968-1969	Correspondence		2	5
Correspondence - Professional	1970-1975, 1977	Correspondence		2	6
Correspondence - Professional	1980-1985, 1988	Correspondence		2	7
Correspondence - Professional	ca. 1950-1959	Correspondence		2	11
Criminal Sherris Bumper Sticker - Draft		Professional	Morris Campaign	2	56
Dedication of Police Administration Building	05/02/1968	NOPD General		2	32
Department of the Police Historical Committee	10/22/1964	NOPD History	Creation of Committee	1	14
Dexter Gaster		NOPD History		1	27
Drivers Licenses & Registrations	1934; 1940-1941	NOPD General	Morris	2	41
Emergency Telephone Call Box Locations		NOPD General		2	28
Examination for Police Supervisor	1967	NOPD General		2	15
Fraternal Order of Police - Louisiana		General		2	38
Gun Information		Personal		2	53
Hall Talk		Publications		2	19
Henry Morris Resume	1982, n.d.	Professional		2	49
Hurricane Betsy Pass	1965	NOPD General		2	35
International Association for Identification	1976-1977	Professional		1	39
Louisiana Peace Officers Association	1989	Professional	Membership Cards and Stickers	2	60
Management Institute for Police Chiefs	1967	Professional	At Harvard University	1	5
Mardi Gras Pass	1967	NOPD General		2	46
Mileage Ration Book	1940	General		1	31
Miscellaneous Job Related Papers		Professional	Receipts, reports, etc…	2	17
Monte M. Leman Award	1984	Professional	Awarded to Morris	1	2
Morris Business Cards		Professional	Tactical Unit and K-9 Corps; Major; Superintendent; Deputy Chief	2	42
Morris Retirement Cards and Letters	1985	Correspondence		1	46-49
Morris Retirement Party Invitation	01/19/1985	Correspondence		1	45
Narcotics Pamphlet		NOPD General	New Orleans Education Committee on Crime Prevention with the NOPD	2	57
National Canine Police Association		Professional	Membership Cards	2	59
New Orleans City Police Envelope		NOPD History		2	47
New Orleans Public Service Inc. Pass Book	1977	General		2	61
NOPD Badge and Patches		NOPD History	Explanation of symbols; "Frontspiece Design"	1	32
NOPD Canine Corps Scent Procedures		Professional		1	19
NOPD Canine Corps Tracking Procedures		Professional		1	18
NOPD Graduation Exercises Program	1958	Professional	Supervision and Command Class	2	44
NOPD Handling of Disasters		Professional	Henry Morris	1	17
NOPD History Outline		NOPD History		1	13
NOPD Operating Budget Message	11/07/1962	NOPD General		1	7
NOPD Pay Plan	08/01/1986	NOPD General		1	41
NOPD Press Releases		Correspondence		2	12
NOPD Radio Signal Brochure		NOPD General		2	36
Notice to Visitors		NOPD General		2	55
Officers killed in the line of duty	1890-1985	NOPD History	Memorial Officer Data Sheet	1	24
Official Photograph - NOPD		Professional	Morris	2	39
Our Beat		Publications		2	18
Parade Offical Armband		NOPD General		2	40
Pnchartrain Beach Entry Card		General	for Morris	2	50
Police Benevolent Association		NOPD General		2	29
Police Benevolent Association Journal		Publications		2	20
Police History Manuscript		NOPD History	includes edits	1	26
Police Pension Fund	1988	Professional		1	4
Political Advertisement		General	bumpersticker, flyers; Connick	2	37
Promotion to Deputy Chief	1979	Correspondence	Congratulations cards and letters	1	50-53
Publications	ca. 1960's	Publications		2	21
Publications	ca. 1970's	Publications		2	22
Publications	ca. 1980's	Publications		2	23
Publications	ca. 1990's	Publications		2	24
Recruitment Training Course Notes	1946-1947	Professional	Notes Morris took during classes	2	26-27
Republican National Convention	08/15/1988-08/18/1988	Personal	includes items such as flyers, security badges and programs	1	20-22
Research Materials		NOPD History		1	28-30
Reverand Joseph P. Laux	1941-1960	NOPD General	Retireing Chaplin	2	48
Riot Control Information		NOPD General		1	35
S.J. Peters/Commy HI Alumni	1985-1990	Personal		1	23
Southern Scrap Case	1977	NOPD General	Involved vehicles and NOPD	1	34
Speeches	1982, 1989	Professional		1	37
Superintendent William J. McCrossen	1992	NOPD General	Fire Department	1	1
The Police Department		NOPD History	Herbert B. Mayer	1	12
The Underworld of Sex book advertisement		NOPD General	about the NOPD	2	45
Travel Expenses	1965	Professional		2	51
Treasures of Tutankhamun	1977	Professional		1	16
Twenty-five Years of the Metropolitan Crime Commission		NOPD General		2	16
Uniform Change Grievance Petition	03/19/1957	NOPD General	Fraternal Order of Police	1	36
Veterans Organizations		Personal		1	40
Voter Registration	ca. 1940's-1950's	General		2	34
Wanted Poster	1914	NOPD General		1	33
Warren G. Woodfork	ca. 1980	NOPD General	Resume	1	10
Woolworths Integration Flyers		General		2	31

Folder	Date	Series	Folder #
"Lock Your Car" campaign with Mayor Victor Schiro		NOPD General	23
American Legion activities		General	38
Angola Prison		General	42
Annual inspections		NOPD General	16
Archbishop Hannan visit		NOPD General	32
Assorted Pictures - Tow wagons, emergency vehicles, motor maintenance shops		NOPD General	10
Awards and events featuring Henry Morris		Professional	36
Criminal Investigation Division retirement party for Captain James Kruebbe		NOPD General	34
Desire & Florida Projects - Hydrants turned on by Capt. Morris	1965-1966	NOPD General	24
Donation of bloodhounds to K-9 Unit by Carl Goldenberg, President of Holsum Bakeries		NOPD General	20
Family Photographs - vacations, birthday parties, etc…		General
Faubourg DeSoto Block Party	August 7, 1982	NOPD General	30
FBI and NOPD - Law Enforcement Training graduates	1967-1968	NOPD General	22
Firearm activities		NOPD General	15
Foreign dignitary visits		NOPD General	33
Formal group photographs		NOPD General	6
Henry Morris birthday party		General	40
Henry Morris retirement party, Hilton Hotel		Professional	41
Historic reproductions for 1984 NOPD Commemorative Album		NOPD History	11
Informal group photographs		NOPD General	37
International Association of Chiefs of Police		Professional	35
K-9 unit		NOPD General	13
Louisiana Historical Center images and articles		NOPD General	12
Mardi Gras escort		NOPD General	29
Meeting, Southeast Louisiana Law Enforcement Association, Hahnville, La.	1964	Professional	28
Meeting, Southeast Louisiana Law Enforcement Association, New Roads, La.	1962-1963	Professional	27
Miscellaneous		General	43
NOPD toast with Mayor Ernest N. Morial, Gallier Hall		NOPD General	26
Photographs of Henry Morris		Professional	5
Photographs of Superintendent George Reyer		NOPD General	3
Pistol Team at old Police Academy, Gravier St. and S. Miro St.		NOPD General	21
Police and court buildings		NOPD General	8
Police and Firemen Inspection and Memorial Mass, St. Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square		NOPD General	25
Portrait of David C. Hennessey		NOPD History	4
Portraits - General		General	1
Portraits of Henry Morris		Professional	2
Recruits		NOPD General	14
Staged activity photographs		NOPD General	7
Tactical Unit Christmas party with Mayor Victor Schiro, St. Charles Hotel	1960's	NOPD General	18
Tactical Unit riot and crowd control training, Chef Menteur Police Range	1958-1961	NOPD General	19
Tactical Unit, various years		NOPD General	17
Veteran's 10K Classic race	1983	General	31
Veterans of Foreign Wars 8973		General	39

Created: October2, 2019    CB