On Friday, Gov. Jeff Landry (R-LA) declared a state of emergency in Louisiana over the severe shortage of law enforcement officers in the state.
Just days before the legislature is scheduled to meet for a special session on crime, Landry issued an executive order making the declaration. The special session is set to focus on strengthening the criminal justice system and repealing soft on crime policies.
According to the Louisiana Sheriffs Association, there is a shortage of 1,800 deputies as of July 2023.
“As a former police officer and sheriff’s deputy, I understand the vital role our law enforcement officers play in our communities. Currently, our state is facing a shortage of officers, resulting in increased crime and less public safety. Today’s 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,” Landry said.
The order comes as cities around the nation struggle to retain and recruit police officers, as crime increases nationally and the “Defund the Police” movement continues to push against law enforcement.
Many actions have been weighed to attempt to refill the struggling agencies, with some considering allowing noncitizens to join the ranks of law enforcement.
The executive order says that the “national police officer shortage has affected Louisiana with departments experiencing record-low employment and an increase in police officer response times resulting in an increased threat to the lives, property, and safety of persons within the state of Louisiana.”
The Louisiana Sheriff’s Association praised the executive order, saying that it highlighted “the importance of the law enforcement profession and our state’s desperate need to fill valuable front line deputy positions.”
Landry wants the legislature to use the special session to look at restricting parole eligibility, expanding the criteria to revoke parole and probation, increasing penalties for carjackings, upgrading illegal use of weapons to the violent crime category, granting immunity under certain conditions to peace officers and creating a criminal offense for the marketing of fentanyl to minors.
“This special session begins to fulfill the campaign promises we made to the people of Louisiana to make our State Safe Again. No one, regardless of their neighborhood or zip code, should feel unsafe. We all want safer communities,” Landry said. “We will defend and uplift our law enforcement officials and deliver true justice to crime victims who have been overlooked for far too long.”
New Orleans consistently ranks as one of the most violent cities in America, and Landry has previously said that the city’s police force is in “shambles.”
Landry flipped the governor’s mansion during his election in October, after previously promising to crack down on crime in the state.
