NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The district attorney’s satellite office is now open in the New Orleans East Regional Library.
The new space, which will open on Wednesdays to start, will be dedicated to diversion assistance and other services, like paying a ticket.
“For serious, violent crimes where an arrest is made and referred to my office, we can handle that at Tulane [Avenue] and [South Broad Street], but there are many, many more nonviolent, low-level offenses,” said New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams.
Although violent offenders will not be at the new satellite office, Williams says there will be a level of security.
“We’re going to have an investigator to make sure there’s always safety in this space, post-certified, carrying a weapon,” explained Williams.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell believes the office’s services will play a factor in decreasing the city’s crime.
“This is just another way of partnering to ensure that our residents are seeing that, one, they matter, [and] also understanding that accessibility matters, and it also allows us to build trust, so that hopefully with building that trust, [people with information] will come forward.”
District E Councilman Oliver Thomas says the office will be a huge asset to his district, especially for those who don’t have the resources to make it to Mid-City.
“What we do have now is more of what the DA and the mayor have provided with [in] opportunity for people to come in and talk to the district attorney’s office, and the mayor in partnership with the library, to say you got a place and a space to do it,” said Oliver.
The district attorney says he’s hoping they can expand the office’s services in the future, including providing a spot where law enforcement can meet with witnesses.
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