New Orleans police chief says RATS are munching through weed in evidence room at rundown headquarters and are now 'all high'

Rats have seemingly discovered a taste for the high life at New Orleans' police headquarters and now stand accused of raiding the evidence room to munch their way through confiscated drugs. 

New Orleans Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick told a council committee meeting on Monday: 'The rats are eating our marijuana. They're all high'.

Not only are the rodents snacking on the cannabis, they're also relieving themselves all over the building - with staff finding droppings on their desk, WWLTV reported.

'When we say we value our employees, you can't say that and at the same time allow people to work in conditions that are not acceptable,' Kirkpatrick said.  

Rats are getting stoned in New Orleans by raiding the evidence room at police headquarters to munch their way through confiscated marijuana 

The chief also revealed that rats are not the only problem. 

She said the department is also plagued by issues from cockroaches and plumbing problems to broken elevators and no air conditioning. 

'It is not just at police headquarters. It is all the districts. The uncleanliness is off the charts,' Kirkpatrick said. 

'The janitorial cleaning (team) deserves an award trying to clean what is uncleanable,' she added.

The city is reportedly looking for a new space where employees won't have to worry about hygiene and cleanliness standards - and where rats won't eat evidence.

At a Crime Committee meeting on Monday, council members voted to approve the lease for a new building.

New Orleans Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick says that rats are breaking into the New Orleans Police Department building

Gilbert Montano, the City's Chief Administrative Officer, said it is a 10-year lease that will cost over $670,000 a year in rent. 

'I think it's going to be somewhere between two to $300,000 to actually physically move them,' Montano said.

He added that there would be additional money spent on 'working desks, chairs, networking, and items that would typically go into a move.'

Fixing the current headquarters would cost roughly $30 million, so investing a new space is cheaper overall.

'The big-ticket items like a brand new air conditioner, brand new elevator, things of that nature rack up millions of dollars,' Montano said. 

The move is set to be finalized by May 1 and the new building is on Poydras Street and staff will be based on the upper floors.