Governor Jeff Landry ran for office promising to be tough on crime. He aired racially charged campaign ads that painted New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Black parishes as hotbeds of violence. The message was clear: elect him, and he’d “fix” crime.
Now, after sending state police into New Orleans neighborhoods for showy traffic stops and minor arrests, Landry has embraced Donald Trump’s plan to flood the city with National Guard troops.
Crime Was Already Dropping
Here’s the truth: violent crime in New Orleans is already falling.
- Murders are down more than 20%.
- Shootings are down by half in New Orleans East.
- Armed robberies are down by 27%.
These declines began before Landry’s troopers started cruising Chef Menteur Highway. His “broken windows” campaign added little more than a heavy-handed police presence.
State Police: Big Presence, Small Results
The state police brag about making over 100 arrests. But look closer. Most were minor infractions, not violent offenders.
That’s what happens when the mission is more about optics than outcomes. The real work—better prosecutions, smarter policing, and community leadership—is what moved the needle.
Accepting Trump’s Troops = Admitting Failure
By saying yes to Trump’s National Guard deployment, Landry admits he can’t handle crime himself. It’s a confession of weakness dressed up as strength.
Let’s keep it real! If Trump truly wanted to help, he’d send money for schools, jobs, and mental health—not soldiers with rifles. If Landry truly cared about Louisiana’s future, he’d demand investment in communities, not parades of troops.
Theatrics Over Substance
Landry’s record shows where his priorities lie. He rolled back juvenile justice reforms, cut parole, and doubled down on punishment. Not one word about funding prevention, after-school programs, or job training.
It’s all theater. No strategy. Just photo ops.
What New Orleans Needs
Crime is trending down. Communities are healing. Leaders like Councilman Oliver Thomas have turned New Orleans East from a poster child of crime into a model of progress.
What we don’t need is an occupying force. We don’t need soldiers patrolling our neighborhoods to satisfy Trump’s propaganda machine or Landry’s ego.
The Bottom Line
Jeff Landry wants you to believe soldiers in the streets mean safety. But the numbers prove otherwise.
New Orleans doesn’t need Trump’s troops. We need investments in our people, our children, and our future. Anything less is a stunt.
How true this article. What’s the purpose? Really what is the purpose? Totally theatrics. What should be a crime is the misuse of funds in all cases where the National Guards have been deployed. Funds that could otherwise be used to support communities are being irresponsibly used to make one look like he’s taking care of “business”. All of which is being done to keep the Jeffrey Epstein story in the undercurrent or not a topic at all. Question: Will the National Guard be cleaning up trash on the street, real debris. Actually, why isn’t he sending these troops to areas of greater need. Nothing but chaos from the choir. Shameful.