Hero Down: Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Lieutenant Fred Austin Found Dead At PD

BY COWGIRL

According to The Times-Picayune, Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Lieutenant Fred Austin, age 55, was assigned to the Force Investigative Team. He had joined the agency in 2015 after his retirement from the New Orleans Police Department.  He was found unresponsive about 2:30 p.m.  EMS was called and responded to the scene, and Lieutenant Austin was pronounced dead.

Lieutenant Austin had begun his career with the NOPD in 1981 and at one time had worked for the agency’s Cold Case homicide unit.  His death is under investigation which is standard procedure for unwitnessed deaths.  Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman lowered flags to half-staff on Wednesday, March 8, 2017.

NOPD Captain Michael Glasser, president of the Police Association of New Orleans, said that it is possible that Lieutenant Austin died from a heart attack.  He said that Lieutenant Austin was “effective, very well thought of, very well-liked and very competent,” and that “we were sorry to see him retire when he did, but we were delighted that he stayed in law enforcement.”

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Lieutenant Fred Austin, both blood and blue.  Godspeed, sir, we will take it from here.  Thank you for your service.