The head of a French Quarter organization says crime in the area is driving tourists and locals alike away from the district.
"I think this is the feeling of lawlessness," French Quarter Citizens President Glade Bilby tells WWL's Tommy Tucker, adding that he hopes the newly-beefed-up police patrols help rid the district of those criminal elements.
"There are a number of bars and situations that occur nightly in the front of the Quarter that I think should be addressed," Bilby said, noting the reports of open drug deals, panhandlers accosting people in the French Quarter, and other activities that are keeping visitors out of the historic district.
"I have friends who have cameras up there that own bars that have video of people carrying guns on the street--carrying AK-47s on the street," Bilby said.
That, along with recent national headlines highlighting the New Orleans's skyrocketing homicide rate, are among the biggest problems facing French Quarter businesses according to Bilby.
"I think some of this murder capital of the year headlines that are going all over the place--murder capital of the U. S.--are affecting us," Bilby said. "I don't think people want to come here when it's dangerous, and you can't really blame them."
French Quarter Citizens President Glade Bilby tells WWL's Tommy Tucker that he's heard reports of open drug deals and other activities that are keeping locals away from the quarter.
Bilby says more officers have begun patrolling the French Quarter in the last few days thanks to the NOPD's recent reconfiguration, but he says the French Quarter's problems will persist unless those officers take action and begin enforcing the city's laws.
"We need to build up a culture of compliance that stops people from doing anything they want to do," Bilby said. "Unless they do something about it, I think it will continue to be (a problem). Somehow this has to stop."