New Orleans Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson is asking the city for one million dollars to buy 150 license plate readers after another shooting on the interstate. The NOPD has investigated 19 interstate shootings this year. The sad reality, folks, is that the chief should already have them. The city council has been talking about this for about 10 years now, and they've never chosen to provide this technology for the police department. New Orleans has a couple of plate readers, but not enough.
During my time as Sheriff of Jefferson Parish, we embarked upon getting these plate readers many years ago. The JPSO was one of the first in the state of Louisiana to purchase the technology because it gives us a huge return on our investment. They save in human capital and it puts people in places at certain points in time, as well as your own employee. I think Chief Ferguson is a smart man, but he doesn't have the resources to do the job. He’s forced to do his job with one leg, one arm tied behind his back. Meanwhile, you, the taxpayer, are saying you don't feel safe walking in your neighborhood, walking in the French quarter, walking in the Warehouse District, and now you don't feel safe driving on the interstate.
You have an opportunity to change all of that here in the coming weeks in the next election... early voting starts November 13th. They all have websites, so go read about what they're professing and what they stand for. Read very carefully about their views about trying to create a balance of interest between criminals and law abiding citizens. I don't know about you, but I find that a little odd, there's never a balance.
You're paying your taxes, you're paying your fees, and your water bills, but getting less than stellar service. Then there are the criminal offenders stealing your property, putting guns in your face, and making life unsafe... why should you have to sacrifice more of our lives for the bad decisions made by others? I know the good suffers for the bad all the time. Is that always our fallback? Criminal offenders create an imbalance with those who are law abiding citizens in this country. We should be tired of watching our rights, our privileges, our customs, our expectations to live in a safe place, work, and raise our family just disappear. Again, election time is where you can make a difference.
