| By DREW BROACH | Deputy metro editor |
LAG OF THE LAW: As the New Orleans Police Department bleeds officers, it's taking the remaining ones much longer to respond to crime. How long? Last year, the average was 97 minutes. This year, according to an analysis by the firm AH Datalytics, response time is much worse. JET-SETTER: New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell plans to travel to Singapore next week to speak at an international conference, her third overseas trip on official business in five weeks, even as her travels are coming under criticism from some City Council members who seek to curtail public spending and focus on local issues. Her spokesperson would not say who is paying for the trips. TORTURE TRIP: The four young suspects in a Metairie kidnapping that ended in a wild police chase across the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway had broken into the victims' home and tortured a father and son for hours while demanding $80,000 in cash, authorities say. When they didn't get any money, they abducted a 17-year-old boy and held him for ransom. Thanks for starting your Thursday with us. You can keep up with the latest news all day on NOLA.com. D.B. | 