President Trump has discussed sending National Guard troops to New Orleans to deal with what he refers to as “rampant crime” in the area, but NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick says that current strategies for crime prevention are already working, and those national resources could be better used elsewhere.
That disconnect in perception could lead to a potential standoff, but Kirkpatrick told WWL’s Newell Normand that she is willing to work with federal resources if they are sent to the Crescent City.
While Chief Kirkpatrick emphasized that she doesn’t believe such a drastic step is necessary, as violent crime is at its lowest levels in years, she is willing to partner with any agencies that would potentially step in to assist.
“Four or five months ago, we had the Super Bowl, and we had Mardi Gras. We had a lot of federal assets then, and we worked extremely well with all the assets who came,” Kirkpatrick pointed out. “As a law enforcement officer, I have one mission: to keep the people safe and to keep the peace. I am a peacemaker. That is what my focus and my mission is."
While Chief Kirkpatrick explained that she would love to have absolutely no crime in New Orleans, the strategies currently being implemented by the NOPD are chipping away at what used to be nationally leading crime numbers.
That progress, she says, should be noted. Kirkpatrick also told Newell Normand that she sees a National Guard deployment as an extreme stop-gap measure, whereas she would prefer a more comprehensive, permanent approach to local crime.
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