Police Shoulder The Stress

Amid Loss Of Lives, Jobs And Homes, New Orleans Force 'Still Standing'

(CBS)  There are few people more angry – or more disappointed over the lack of help from the outside – than those who had to shoulder the burden alone.

Help finally arrived, but CBS News Correspondent Lee Cowan reports that no one has been under greater stress in New Orleans than the police and firefighters.

"There's no police department in the history of the world that have gone through what we're going through," said New Orleans Police Chief Edwinn Compass. "But guess what? We're still standing and we'll still be here."

But barely. As many as 200 New Orleans police officers have walked off the job – mostly the younger ones, we're told.

But there are hundreds more who are missing – either stranded or dead – and others who have respectfully turned in their badges to deal with personal issues. At least 80 percent of the force lost their homes – or worse.

"There are a lot of officers that don't know where their kids are, they don't know where their wives are, their spouses are," said W.J. Riley, asst. superintendent of police.

"I have men who lost their families who are putting criminals in jail," Compass said. "We get in shootouts every night, they're shooting at our cars. They tried to take me hostage!"

The stress is taking its toll. Two of Compass' officers have already committed suicide – a breaking blow – that brought the chief to his knees.

"Any time you lose a guy who wears a blue shirt, it's hard, especially to that," said New Orleans Police Captain Tim Bayard.

It's hardly better for the city's firefighters.

"My house was two blocks from the break," said one.

Still, they're struggling to keep the city from burning to the ground without any water, electricity, or reliable communication.

"I'm just kinda numb," said Officer Sgt. Chuck Little who took just an hour off duty to check on his home, which was devastated by Katrina. "How do you fix something like that? I ask you?"

Little didn't even have time to answer his own question. Five minute later he was back on the job.