It’s been suggested Louisiana should bring in the National Guard to help New Orleans Police with surging violent crime in the city. But Governor John Bel Edwards says he’s against the idea.
“National Guard are soldiers they are not law enforcement officers, you have rules of engagement issues and that is not an answer,” said Edwards.
New Orleans councilmember Oliver Thomas brought up the possibility of using the National Guard to fight crime but stressed it’s an option of last resort. Edwards says he’s not received a formal request to mobilize the Guard in New Orleans.
“We do that when we declare emergencies and we need them to respond to disasters and you see that all the time, but they are not day-to-day law enforcement officers,” said Edwards.
Edwards says guardsmen are soldiers, not law enforcement.
“They are not trained as such and there’s also sorts of rules in engagement issues and that’s just not an answer,” said Edwards.
New Orleans has seen a 37% increase in fatal shootings and a 28% increase in armed robberies in 2022, compared to this time last year.
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