Gov. Landry requests up to 1,000 Louisiana National Guard troops
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Members of the National Guard patrol Bourbon Street on Feb. 8, a little more than a month after the Jan. 1 terror attack. Photo: Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry requested permission Monday to activate up to 1,000 members of the Louisiana National Guard throughout the state.
Why it matters: It's the latest example of the President Trump-backed plan, which began in Washington, D.C., to use federal soldiers to bolster law enforcement on local levels.
The latest: Landry submitted the request in a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, he said in a statement after announcing the decision on an episode of Fox News' "Hannity."
- It's not immediately clear how quickly the Louisiana National Guard would deploy to cities across the state, but Landry's letter mentions "elevated crime rates in Shreveport, Baton Rouge and New Orleans," as well as "critical personnel shortages within local law enforcement."
- "These manpower shortages limit their ability to effectively address this public safety threat and consequently, incidents of homicide, carjacking and gang-related violence, significantly exceed the national average," Landry writes.
- The request runs through fiscal year 2026, the letter says.
Reality check: New Orleans is experiencing a historically low crime rate.
- City data indicates violent crime is down 15%, a 50-year low, New Orleans Police Department spokesperson Reese Harper said during a Friday briefing.
- Shreveport, however, had the state's highest homicide rate last year.
Between the lines: Trump has touted the idea to send National Guard troops to Louisiana for weeks. Landry, a Trump ally, has said they'd be welcome but until now had stopped short of formally requesting the federal support.
- "You could say, 'oh, this is a militarization of our big cities,'" Landry said during a Sept. 16 press conference. "Our cities are already war zones. Too many people already die."
New Orleans officials have previously been split on the matter.
- While statements from Mayor LaToya Cantrell's administration and NOPD have indicated a willingness to work with National Guard troops, City Council leaders have opposed the idea. Go deeper.
Catch up quick: Federal troops won't be a new sight in New Orleans.
- Routinely after natural disasters and during recent events like Mardi Gras and Super Bowl LIX following the Jan. 1 terror attack, National Guard troops have bolstered NOPD's flagging ranks.
What we're watching: It's not immediately clear how quickly troops will deploy throughout the state, nor how many will appear in which cities.