A letter released Thursday from the New Orleans Office of Inspector General says the city's recreation agency left serious holes in how it screens volunteer youth coaches. Investigators say incomplete background checks, lax ID-badge enforcement and sloppy recordkeeping combined to give parents a “false assurance” that the adults coaching their kids had been properly vetted.
OIG Review Found Patchy Screening
Evaluators with the inspector general's office reviewed roughly 275 volunteer coach application files and then pulled 50 of them for a closer look. They found the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission had current background checks on file for only about half of its volunteer coaches during the 2025 season, and just 54 percent of the 50-file sample showed completed checks, according to WDSU.
Files Showed Serious Red Flags
In some cases, the paperwork on file was not just incomplete, it was alarming. Investigators found multiple coach files that listed criminal charges but contained no documentation explaining how those cases were resolved. Some files showed offenses as recent as 2025 along with older charges dating back to 2000. One file included an active warrant and dozens of charges, according to a letter from the Office of Inspector General.
Recordkeeping Gaps And System Limits
The inspector general also called out NORD's heavy reliance on Orleans Parish CASTNet checks, which only capture offenses entered in Orleans Parish and often do not show the final court dispositions. That creates a blind spot for out-of-parish histories and unresolved cases. While NORD requires volunteers to submit a New Orleans Police Department background check renewed every year, inspectors found authorization forms that were signed but never processed.
NORD Response And Fixes
NORD issued a statement accepting the inspector general's findings and outlining steps it says are already underway. The agency reports it has increased athletics-division staff at recreation sites to verify that only approved coaches participate, added personnel to review documentation and maintain records, and is rechecking all coaches for the 2026 season, according to WDSU. NORD also says it is evaluating more comprehensive background-screening systems and reviewing volunteer policies so they line up with the city's ban-the-box rules while still keeping safeguards in place for youth.
Why It Matters
The inspector general's office noted that more than 5,000 children participated in NORD athletics programs in 2025 and warned that current procedures created a “false assurance” for parents who believed coaches had been fully vetted. The letter urges immediate fixes, including accurate electronic rosters, documented evaluations of criminal cases, staff certification before ID badges are issued and annual background checks, according to the Office of Inspector General.
Leadership And Next Steps
The report lands just as longtime NORD CEO Larry Barabino Jr. is on his way out. He announced his resignation late last month, and city officials confirmed he submitted it to commissioners with a departure set for mid-June. FOX 8 notes Barabino has led NORD since 2018, and his exit leaves the commission to carry out the inspector general's recommendations under new leadership.
What Parents Should Know
Parents who want to double-check safety on the field or court can ask their playground's site facilitator for an up-to-date roster and confirmation that a coach's background-check paperwork has actually been processed. NORD says any coaches found not to meet eligibility or compliance requirements have been notified and are ineligible to participate while the agency works to tighten screening and recordkeeping.
