Speaking at a press conference today, New Orleans city leaders outlined their plans for a safe Mardi Gras amid a police staffing shortage, surging violent crime, and the ongoing pandemic.
“Our entire public safety team in addition to our state and federal partners, are ready and prepared,” said New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “But at the same time, it is very important for everyone to realize that we are not under normal times.”
Director of New Orleans Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, Collin Arnold says the city was able to elevate the Mardi Gras event to a SEAR 2 level event which opened up more resources from state and federal agencies.
The Special Event Assessment Rating is used to assess the level of threats of violence at the event. For example, Arnold says yesterday’s Super Bowl LVI was a SEAR level 1.
“There are very few events in the country that are given this. Out of hundreds of thousands of special events, only a handful, maybe ten are given this type of rating. You saw this yesterday with the Super Bowl. A lot of those assets and the same type of planning that went into the Super Bowl have gone into Mardi Gras,” said Arnold.
Arnold says the city will get resources such as intelligence sharing, medical and law enforcement resources, which will help in making this Mardi Gras season safe.
Despite a surge in crime and a shortage of cops, New Orleans Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson says his department is prepared for Mardi Gras thanks to the added outside reinforcements.
“The New Orleans Police Department is prepared and ready for Mardi Gras 2022,” said Chief Ferguson.
Ferguson says his department will be all-hands-on-deck and officers will move to a 12-hour shift on Friday.
Ferguson also says they will use a mobile booking bus in the French Quarter to help officers designated in that area can book arrests without having to leave their assignment in the French Quarter.
