Ever for the reason that 9/11 terrorist assaults that took down the World Commerce towers in New York, cities been extra conscious that these tragedies can occur anyplace. Specifically, the metropolis of New Orleans has been declared a gentle goal for a terrorist assault, partly due to the big crowds that collect right here, on our streets.
After the New Yr’s Day Bourbon Road assault, I started to ask round, to see how we have been making ready. We’ve got a lot work to do, to make sure that an anti-terrorist element is a part of the planning course of for each particular occasion that draws 1000’s – Mardi Gras, festivals and vacation celebrations, even our Sunday second-line parades.
The NOPD management ought to take into account the next steps:
1) Improve the connection between the NOPD Intelligence Unit and the FBI Joint Terrorism Job Power.
2) Ship a NOPD workforce to the New York Police Division Anti- Terrorist Unit to ascertain the same anti-terrorist unit throughout the NOPD.
3) Go in any case obtainable federal anti-terrorism assets and coaching.
4) Assume outdoors the field, utilizing know-how similar to drones and cameras for main occasions.
We’d like not solely a safety plan for shielding vacationers, guests and main occasions, but in addition a safety plan for the remainder of us who stay within the metropolis. Mrs. Thanh Vu, a longtime enterprise proprietor was robbed and killed in her grocery retailer within the early days of 2025. There have been two different murders throughout the identical relative time span because the terrorist assault on Bourbon Road. The each day toll of gun violence in our metropolis has chipped away at our metropolis for many years.
We should additionally study from this tragedy and implement the precise technique and ways to make sure vacationers, guests and all of us really feel secure.
The teachings realized transcend policing. As an illustration, I strongly suspect our tourism trade is taking a destructive hit due to the terrorist assault. As we work to assist the hospitality trade rebuild, we additionally should look to different sectors, to develop and diversify our economic system, offering jobs and tax income past the hospitality trade.
Simply as our police division should reflexively embrace anti-terrorism elements throughout its work, our enterprise group and economic-development companies should consistently be working to broaden the New Orleans economic system, in a approach that trains, educates and stably employs extra native residents.
Arthur Hunter, Jr., an occasional contributor to The Lens, is a former New Orleans Police Division officer and retired Orleans Parish Felony District Courtroom decide.
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