Council Discusses Ways to Improve Safety in Downtown Shreveport

The Shreveport City Council met in an emergency meeting on Tuesday morning to address concerns about large violent crowds gathering in downtown Shreveport.

Council Chairwoman Tabatha Taylor says "we don't want you to have a fear of going anywhere in Shreveport. We have a major investment in Shreveport and we want to protect this. You have a fear and you care."

Taylor says "we share your anger and your frustration. We are going to change the narrative right now. We have national attention right now."

Councilman James Green said he has a "broken heart when he sees our young people in the streets fighting. When I see our young ladies running in the streets almost naked, it breaks my heart." Green also suggested that the church has to come forth and do its job. It's going to take people who love God and who love people.

Councilman Grayson Boucher says "it's very disheartening to see what we all witnessed." He added that this has gone on way too long. He says we have done everything we can do to help give the police department they need to address the problems. But "we have to do something to change the hearts of the people who are doing this." He also told his colleagues that the police officers are tired and they are worn out.

Councilwoman Ursula Bowman also says she wants to do whatever we have to do to help resolve this problem. She says "if we want a vibrant downtown we need help."

A large crowd showed up at the meeting to talk about the problem and to listen to possible solutions.

Councilman Gary Brooks, who represents the downtown district says

It's great to say we need prayer, but "that ship has sailed for some of these people. The videos are terrible. Nobody is gonna want to go downtown. Eventually it will impact the casinos. We are 150 officers short and they are strained.

Mayor Tom Arceneaux says "we are here to solve a problem. We are not here to point fingers at each other. What we saw was unacceptable. Whether we need additional legislation, whether we need additional manpower, whatever we need, we are going to resolve this issue."

DDA Director Cedric Glover told the council he wants to be a resource to help everyone find solutions to this problems. He says protocols were in place to have more officers on hand in downtown Shreveport, but he says we will need more.

The council is expected to put together a package of legislative action and staffing goals to help attack this problem.