Former NOPD Officer Convicted of Stalking, Resigns Amid Years of Internal Scrutiny

A former New Orleans police officer has resigned from the department after being convicted of stalking a victim in a judge trial, closing out a case that began with his arrest earlier this year. Adam Zoeller was sentenced to one year of probation, and a protective order remains in place for the victim.

Zoeller was arrested in January on stalking and unlawful communications charges following an NOPD internal investigation into allegations about his behavior, according to WWL-TV. At the time of his arrest, the department directed anyone with additional information to contact NOPD's Eighth District station, which covers the French Quarter and Central Business District, as reported by WWLTV.com. He was ultimately convicted on one count of first-offense stalking, per the station's report, and resigned from the department, a move an NOPD spokesperson confirmed.

A Permanent Mark on His Record

Louisiana law leaves little room for Zoeller to move past the conviction quietly. Under Louisiana Revised Statute 14:40.2, a first-offense stalking conviction carries a fine of $500 to $1,000 and a jail sentence of 30 days to one year, with probation allowed only if the court orders a psychiatric evaluation and participation in approved counseling, according to the Louisiana State Legislature. That structure means Zoeller's probation term came bundled with mandatory mental health oversight, not just supervision.

The conviction will also stay on his public record for good. Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Article 977(C) specifically excludes misdemeanor stalking convictions under R.S. 14:40.2 from eligibility for expungement, according to Gilmer & Giglio LLC. The carve-out applies to a short list of misdemeanors involving domestic abuse and stalking, meaning Zoeller cannot petition to have the case wiped from his history the way many other first-time misdemeanor offenders can.

Protective Order Outlasts Criminal Case

The protective order shielding Zoeller's victim does not depend on the criminal sentence continuing. Louisiana's Protection from Stalking Act, under Title 46, gives civil district courts independent authority to maintain protective orders for stalking victims regardless of whether criminal probation terms end, per WomensLaw.org. That means even after Zoeller's one year of probation concludes, the order protecting his victim can remain enforceable through the civil court system.

A Career Now Closed Off

Zoeller's departure from NOPD appears to be more than a resignation of convenience. New Orleans Civil Service and NOPD hiring rules automatically disqualify anyone convicted of or who has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor involving crimes against a person from commissioned officer employment, according to the City of New Orleans Civil Service. That rule closes the door on Zoeller ever returning to the department in uniform.

His resignation while under active internal investigation also exposes him to statewide consequences. Under Louisiana Revised Statute 40:2405 and its regulations, the Louisiana Peace Officer Standards and Training Council has authority to hold revocation hearings and decertify officers who resign while under investigation or in lieu of termination, per the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement. Decertification proceedings, if pursued, would bar Zoeller from working in law enforcement anywhere in Louisiana. It remains unresolved whether the POST Council will initiate that process against him.

Years of Internal Scrutiny Preceded Arrest

City civil service dockets show that Public Integrity Bureau proceedings involving Zoeller appeared before the New Orleans Civil Service Commission in September 2023, October 2024, and March 2026, according to City of New Orleans records. NOPD's Public Integrity Bureau Intake section is required to review, classify, and log all formal complaints before assigning them to internal investigators or criminal detectives, a process the department outlined in 2019. That multi-year paper trail suggests concerns about Zoeller's conduct predated the arrest that made his case public this year.

The case also lands at a notable moment for the department. In November 2025, U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan officially terminated the 12-year federal consent decree overseeing NOPD after the Department of Justice and the City of New Orleans jointly affirmed sustained progress on officer accountability and misconduct tracking, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Zoeller's prosecution and resignation come as the department settles into handling misconduct cases under its own oversight rather than federal supervision.

Part of a Wider Pattern

Zoeller's case is not isolated within American policing. A national reporting summary published by Hoodline in August documented at least 50 law enforcement officers nationwide facing charges or allegations related to stalking or unauthorized tracking, with over half involving former romantic partners. That count underscores how stalking allegations against officers have surfaced repeatedly across the country, even as each case is handled through its own local legal process.