This weekend marks the final days of the Louisiana National Guard's crime fighting mission on the streets of New Orleans.
"This is, I think, just a resounding success story," Metro Crime Commission President Rafael Goyeneche declared. "They played an important role."
Murder is down 34% city-wide since the guard started patrolling in the downtown and French Quarter areas. according to MCC stats. Non-fatal shootings are down 24%. Carjackings and armed robberies have been reduced by three percent each.
Goyeneche told WWL's Newell Normand that having uniformed soldiers on the street was a deterrent to crime, they freed NOPD to patrol other areas, and they teamed up with Louisiana State Police Troop Nola to ride in police cars with state troopers.
"The objective is to reduce crime in the city, and the National Guard is as responsible as the New Orleans Police Department, as Louisiana State Police and as every other criminal justice agency because they played an important role."
The deployment started on December 30, 2025 following requests by Governor Jeff Landry to President Donald Trump.
It started with 350 troops to bolster security for New Year's Eve, the Sugar Bowl, and Mardi Gras.
Landry announced a six-month extension in March for about 120 troops through the summer.
The eight-month mission officially wraps up Monday.
National Guard troops are expected to come back for special events over the holidays and into Mardi Gras.
