Shreveport’s Centaur Parade The Safest In “Almost 20 Years”

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What a return it was.

Shreveport streets were once again filled with hundreds of thousands of Mardi Gras revelers after a year off due to a pandemic pause. It was a very welcome return for many in Shreveport, as the Krewe of Centaur rolled once again on Saturday.

After a year off, it was obvious that the city was ready to welcome massive Mardi Gras celebrations once again. Annually attendance estimates are between 300,000 and 500,000, with many long time riders this year saying that the 2022 crowd was one of the biggest (if not the biggest) they could remember.

Even though there was a lot of talk about the safety of the parade ahead of time, and debate over who would pay for the security efforts. But those concerns turned out to be unneeded, as it turns out this year's Centaur parade might go down as one of the safest ever.

In a news release today, the City of Shreveport said that the Shreveport Police Department reported no major incidents during the parade. KEEL News reached out to Shreveport Police Sergeant-Public Information Officer Angie Willhite about the parade, and how the crowd was. She tells us:

"One arrest for public intoxication and that was it. We has one very minor car accident as well. It was a great parade. I've been here almost 20 years and it's the best one yet!"

The best, and safest, parade in nearly two decades is high praise for an event that generated plenty of worry ahead of time.

In the release from the City of Shreveport today, the City said the Shreveport Police Department was joined by the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police and the City Marshal’s Office to provide security along the route. They added that the Shreveport Police auxiliary officers played a vital role in the safety of the parade as well. It was also noted that the Department of Public Works used five garbage trucks to barricade major roadways, which helped to offset costs for additional personnel.

The City says the same group will staff the Krewe of Gemini parade on Saturday, February 26.