The Louisiana National Guard could be deployed to patrol New Orleans as early as next month, with troops arriving in time for the Bayou Classic.
That's according to NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, who says she's ready to work with those troops.
When Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry first asked President Donald Trump to deploy National Guardsmen to New Orleans, Kirkpatrick said she's willing to work with those troops to fight crime. Now, she's doubling down on that stance.
"We are working together and planning their deployment," Kirkpatrick said Tuesday night during the NOPD's Night Out Against Crime. "They are not coming in to take us over. This is a partnership."
Kirkpatrick says the deployed National Guardsmen would remain activated through Mardi Gras, patrolling the streets during the holidays and other major events, such as the Sugar Bowl. The National Guard was deployed in the city in early 2025 following the January 1 Bourbon Street terrorist attack and ahead of Super Bowl LIX.
In September, Governor Landry asked President Trump to mobilize 1,000 members of the Louisiana National Guard under a federal law that would require the federal government to pick up the tab for activating them. Kirkpatrick said she will work with any resources her department receives, National Guard or otherwise.
"The governor has requested it," Kirkpatrick said. "I'm of the position that I don't want to get into anyone's politics."
Kirkpatrick expounded on this point when speaking with CBS News.
"If you remove the politics out of that, our relationships were already established. We've had excellent working relationships with the National Guard," Kirkpatrick told CBS News. "My number one mission is to ensure safety, and if National Guard can advance and be a force multiplier, great."
Kirkpatrick notes that crime in New Orleans is down in almost every category compared to last year despite an ongoing shortage of police officers in the NOPD's ranks. An NOPD spokesperson told CBS that the department needs an additional 300 officers to alleviate that shortage.
