NEW ORLEANS — During the campaign, Jeff Landry promised to fight violent crime in New Orleans.
Wednesday, Louisiana’s governor-elect stood on the field inside Caesar’s Superdome to reveal some of his plans to make the state’s largest city, a safer place for residents and visitors.
“We’re going to bring as much of a law enforcement presence into this city as necessary to keep all of this city safe,” Landry said. “We’re committed to doing that.”
Landry declined to give specific details of what that would entail but indicated that the Louisiana State Police could play a larger role in the boots-on-the-ground law enforcement in the city.
“I think everyone knows it’s a personnel gap,” Landry said. “We certainly know that NOPD is undermanned right now. I don’t think anyone disagrees with that.”
Landry picked a native New Orleanian and Brother Martin graduate, Major Robert Hodges, as the next LSP superintendent.
He is currently the department’s southwest region commander.
The governor-elect also announced a new partnership with the Orleans District Attorney that will allow the state attorney general’s office to prosecute criminal cases in New Orleans.
State prosecutors would handle cases led by the Louisiana State Police and agencies working directly under them.
“Blacks, whites, old, young, republican, democrat, conservative, liberal, everybody agrees that murder, rape and armed robbery needs to be dealt with swiftly and properly and Jeff and I are in locked step on that,” Orleans DA Jason Williams said.
Pointing to the Superdome field, Williams used a football analogy to describe the manpower shortage now facing the NOPD. He said for too long, the city has only been able to field five players, not 11 and he says the governor-elect has now committed state resources to change that equation.
“He’s helping us put more people on the field, so that we can truly compete and get this city safer than it’s been in the past,” Williams said.
Landry says everything is on the table.
“We’re going to further both our commitment to the city of New Orleans and to the state in ensuring that we are going to have one great, safe state.
Landry also picked former West Jefferson State Representative Bryan Adams as the next state fire marshal.
Brigadier General Thomas Friloux from Lafayette is his choice to be the Adjutant General of the Louisiana National Guard.
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