State Police To Beef Up New Orleans Mardi Gras Security

Citizens of New Orleans have been heard after loudly voicing their concerns about security in the city's most notable tourist attraction, The French Quarter.  Those citizens know that if the tourist don't feel safe in an area they won't come. That is why Louisiana State Police have assigned an additional 150 troopers to help with patrols in and  around the New Orleans area during Mardi Gras.

Colonel Mike Edmonson with State Police told the Louisiana Radio Network,

"And we're going to be able to keep all the troopers in one specific area in the French Quarter.  So, when they finish working, they're going to spend the night so we'll have them fresh and get as much work out of them as we need to."

Tourism is the life blood of New Orleans and The French Quarter and this added influx of highly skilled law enforcement professionals should help insure that troublemakers will be dealt with quickly and efficiently. In fact, the hope is the additional security will simply convince those who might be inclined to break the law to suddenly follow the straight and narrow.

Colonel Edmonson went on to say that the increased participation by State Police will not stop with Mardi Gras, events like Jazzfest, French Quarterfest, and some of the larger conventions will see an increase in law enforcement manpower.

"We're going to be in smaller quantities, different numbers, depending on what's needed.  We'll bring in troopers for all of those different events.  So we're looking at things that will put us in the city on a regular basis through May."

New Orleans is a tourism engine for not only Louisiana but the nation. In fact it is the leading tourist destination in United States and the number 5 tourism destination in the world. Making sure that tourists and their tourism dollars are safe is a priority for all of us in Louisiana.