The Washington Post reports the White House is planning to deploy up to a thousand National Guard troops to various cities throughout Louisiana. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry supports the idea.
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“I think the president recognizes that our cities around this country are way too violent, okay? Do you say, ‘Well, this is a militarization of our big cities.’ Our cities are already war zones,” Landry said.
Democratic Congressman Troy Carter, who represents New Orleans, doesn’t see it that way. He says sending in the National Guard is counterproductive.
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“We don’t embrace the notion of having National Guardsmen with M-16s walking the streets of New Orleans, militarizing our communities and perhaps adding more insult to injury,” Carter said.
Carter says Landry and the Louisiana State Police have already implemented an alternative to the National Guard that has proven to lower crime in New Orleans – they established Troop NOLA.
“They have worked in the collaborative way with our local police department, and their presence and their knowledge of police work and municipal laws are making a difference,” Carter said.
Landry was asked for his reaction during a news conference in which he announced four initiatives aimed at strengthening the business climate in Louisiana. Landry said reducing crime with the help of the National Guard will ultimately help attract business.
“We’re going to do whatever we need to, to stem the violence and to get our cities in our streets in the control. Why? Because you can’t have economic opportunity in the face of violence,” Landry said.