On Monday, September 29th, Gov. Landry submitted a formal request to have the National Guard deployed to New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport. He points to the high crime rate as the reason for his request, stating, “Louisiana currently faces a convergence of elevated violent crime rates in Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans, coupled with critical personnel shortages within local law enforcement.”
Not everyone subscribes to the belief that the National Guard is needed in Louisiana, especially for the reasons Jeff Landry cited. Crime data analysts in Louisiana, like Jeff Asher, point out that crime has been on the decline over the past few years. In an interview with Louisiana Radio Network, Asher says, “Carjackings, relative to 2022, are down 80%, and shootings are down 63% this year. Auto thefts are down 67% from their peak in 2023.” He also says that murder is down in all three cities, with it dropping 35 percent through June in Shreveport and murder numbers hitting a record low since 1970 in New Orleans.
The mayor of Shreveport, Tom Arceneaux, points out the declining crime statistics in an official statement as well. In the same statement, he also says he will accept the help of the National Guard, but he has concerns he wants answered before anyone is deployed. He is worried about where the guard will be stationed, what they will be allowed to do, how long they will stay in the city, and how the guard can best help the existing law enforcement. Part of his answer can be found in Jeff Landry's letter, which asks for the guard to “deploy throughout the state to urban centers, support law enforcement presence in high-crime areas, provide logistical and communications support, and secure critical infrastructure.” This would persist until the end of the 2026 fiscal year, which is September 30th.
-Brandon McWilliams
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