New Orleans is spooling up its special operation plans for Mardi Gras starting today.
Mardi Gras coverage begins today at 7am and stays in effect until February 22nd. Speaking Thursday, Interim Police Chief Michelle Woodfork discussed staffing efforts for the French Quarter:
“Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Deputies along with outside law enforcement partners will be paired with NOPD throughout the parade routes.
OPSO mounted deputies will be partnered with NOPD’s French Quarter coverage and there’s also a mobile booking bus that will be located in the 600 block of Conti in the French Quarter.”
Also helping out in the French Quarter is tactical federal law enforcement stationed behind the parade routes, on the riverfront and along the river.
Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson lays out the deployment of officers from her department and others with specific attention paid to the French Quarter:
“We have a total of 13 local and regional agencies coming in. That’s a 178 officers and deputies. And in addition to that we will have between 70 and 120 Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies as well. So we’re going to have a number of law enforcement officers over this period.”
Anna Nguyen with the New Orleans Office Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness spells out the state and federal agencies who are assisting in keeping New Orleans safe during major Mardi Gras celebrations.
“There will be enhanced patrols, information sharing intelligence assets, assisting us in the Emergency Operations Center, and the real time operations center. It will include members from the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, U.S. Coast Guard, Fire Marshall, State Police, amongst many others.”
Nguyen says federal aviation assistance assets in the air over the city with particular attention paid to parade routes and over the French Quarter.
“The City’s Emergency Operations Center will be activated throughout Mardi Gras parade season both at the EOC and City Hall the first weekend, and we’ll have the Mobile Command Bus at St. Charles and Harmony Circle starting Wednesday through Tuesday February 21st.”
