BATON ROUGE, LA- Record-low employments within Louisiana police departments have prompted a state of emergency in the state.
On Thursday, Governor Jeff Landry issued an executive order to address the issue. The order eliminates current restrictions, imposed by state law, on payroll and hiring limits around a gubernatorial election cycle.
These all-time low employments are “resulting in increased crime and less public safety,” Landry pointed out. He also indicated that sheriff’s offices across the state were down 1,800 deputies as of July.
Landry himself has a background in law enforcement, both as a local police officer and a sheriff’s deputy. Crime was a large part of his platform in his recent (2023) gubernatorial run. He vowed to crack down on the issue in a state that has had one of the top homicide rates in the country in recent years.
During his campaign, Landry often referred to New Orleans. The city is attracting national attention for violence and will be hosting the Super Bowl in 2025.
Louisiana lawmakers are in the state Capitol today, beginning a special legislative session that specifically focuses on crime. Ahead of today, several proposed bills were filed to address restrictions on parole eligibility and to expand methods on carrying out death row executions, as well as bills that will publicize selected juvenile court records and impose harsher penalties for some crimes.
Governor Landry proposed his first state budget earlier this month, which would preemptively address any funding issues related to public safety. The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate reported that the budget includes at minimum $32 million to fund State Police initiatives, some of which allow for an independent review of the State Police department, expansion of State Police presence within New Orleans, and a uniform allowance increase.
Louisiana is not the only state in the country that is experiencing police shortages. In recent years, we have seen small towns in states such as Maine, Ohio, and Texas disband their departments, with law enforcement in neighboring towns, county sheriffs, or even state police taking over enforcement in those areas. Between the uprising that occurred after the George Floyd incident and the pandemic, many in law enforcement blame the police shortages on low morale.
A survey conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum out of Washington DC, which surveyed around 200 police agencies, showed that retirements alone are up 19%. Additionally, according to the survey, officer resignations were up a whopping 47% in 2022 compared to 2019.
Governor Landry’s executive order is effective until March 15th, 2024. Landry said, “The executive order, and the upcoming crime special session, will ensure our law enforcement officers are supported and we can begin to bring law and order back to our state.”
Executive director of Louisana Sheriffs’ Association, Michale Ranatza, wrote in a statement on Friday, “We applaud Governor Landry for highlighting the importance of the law enforcement profession and our state’s desperate need to fill valuable front line deputy positions.”
On Thursday, Governor Jeff Landry issued an executive order to address the issue. The order eliminates current restrictions, imposed by state law, on payroll and hiring limits around a gubernatorial election cycle.
These all-time low employments are “resulting in increased crime and less public safety,” Landry pointed out. He also indicated that sheriff’s offices across the state were down 1,800 deputies as of July.
Landry himself has a background in law enforcement, both as a local police officer and a sheriff’s deputy. Crime was a large part of his platform in his recent (2023) gubernatorial run. He vowed to crack down on the issue in a state that has had one of the top homicide rates in the country in recent years.
During his campaign, Landry often referred to New Orleans. The city is attracting national attention for violence and will be hosting the Super Bowl in 2025.
Louisiana lawmakers are in the state Capitol today, beginning a special legislative session that specifically focuses on crime. Ahead of today, several proposed bills were filed to address restrictions on parole eligibility and to expand methods on carrying out death row executions, as well as bills that will publicize selected juvenile court records and impose harsher penalties for some crimes.
Governor Landry proposed his first state budget earlier this month, which would preemptively address any funding issues related to public safety. The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate reported that the budget includes at minimum $32 million to fund State Police initiatives, some of which allow for an independent review of the State Police department, expansion of State Police presence within New Orleans, and a uniform allowance increase.
Louisiana is not the only state in the country that is experiencing police shortages. In recent years, we have seen small towns in states such as Maine, Ohio, and Texas disband their departments, with law enforcement in neighboring towns, county sheriffs, or even state police taking over enforcement in those areas. Between the uprising that occurred after the George Floyd incident and the pandemic, many in law enforcement blame the police shortages on low morale.
A survey conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum out of Washington DC, which surveyed around 200 police agencies, showed that retirements alone are up 19%. Additionally, according to the survey, officer resignations were up a whopping 47% in 2022 compared to 2019.
Governor Landry’s executive order is effective until March 15th, 2024. Landry said, “The executive order, and the upcoming crime special session, will ensure our law enforcement officers are supported and we can begin to bring law and order back to our state.”
Executive director of Louisana Sheriffs’ Association, Michale Ranatza, wrote in a statement on Friday, “We applaud Governor Landry for highlighting the importance of the law enforcement profession and our state’s desperate need to fill valuable front line deputy positions.”
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