New Orleans Police are getting help from Louisiana State Police to stop an anticipated surge in violent crime, which they say often happens during the summer months.
New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell says the city is not alone in struggling with huge increases in murder, carjackings, and armed robberies.
“Agencies nationwide are grappling with the sharp rise in violent crime,” said Cantrell.
Today, the mayor along with, NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson, and State Police Lt. Colonel Chavez Cammon unveiled “Operation Golden Eagle,” which will deploy state troopers in neighborhoods hit hard by violent crime.
Cheif Ferguson says the added help from State Police will suppress the growing violent crime trend his department is seeing across the city.
“These disturbing trends committed by brazen criminals are not limited to any particular area of our city,” said Ferguson. “We have seen increases in homicide, and non-fatal shootings; we have seen increases in carjackings. However, we have also made numerous arrests in each of these cases. As we continue to make these arrests we still do not see a change in these violent trends.”
Chief Ferguson says the partnership between NOPD and LSP is not new, and that he has full confidence in State Police’s ability to do constitutional policing.
State Police will assist New Orleans Police from early June to late August. However, authorities declined to say how many troopers are going to assist the NOPD.
Click on the audio above to hear the full news conference.