NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — NOPD Superintendent Michael Harrison announced Wednesday afternoon that he is doubling the size of a recently formed task force. The task force will go from eight to now at least 16 officers every night. The officers will work from 6:30 p.m. to 3 a.m.
“If there’s one issue that deserves or requires all 16, we’ll deal with that. If we have to split them up and move them to different parts of the city, that will be based on crime trends,” Harrison said at Wednesday’s announcement.
The move comes as New Orleans entrepreneur Sidney Torres began airing a television spot that’s critical of the city’s handling of its violent crime problem. Mayor Mitch Landrieu pushed back. For more on their debate and the city’s latest crime fighting plans, click on the video button below.
So far, Harrison credits the new task force for a series of important arrests. He says he will continue to evaluate the task force and decide how long to continue its operation.
He also says the department began interviewing candidates this week for NOLA Patrol. He says so far more than 70 people have applied to fill the 50 spots on the citizen patrol program.
