4,100 patrols later, the National Guard leaves New Orleans
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The National Guard in the French Quarter at New Year's Eve. Photo: Octavio Jones / AFP via Getty Images
The National Guard's lengthy New Orleans deployment officially ends Monday.
Why it matters: The mission was unusual for the Louisiana National Guard, but it showed the soldiers' ability to adapt to a sustained operation, a press release says, while working alongside local law enforcement.
The big picture: Though not met without some protest, the New Orleans deployment was relatively quiet compared to the sometimes volatile reactions in other cities amid President Trump's federal crime crackdown in primarily Democrat-led cities.
- It began at the new year when New Orleans recognized the one-year anniversary of the Bourbon Street terror attack that killed 14 people.
- Then, Gov. Jeff Landry extended the two-month mission by six months.
- For the most part in the months after, Louisiana National Guard soldiers patrolled the French Quarter, a high-visibility neighborhood already familiar with the presence of armed forces thanks to previous, shorter deployments.
By the numbers: The Louisiana National Guard conducted 4,126 patrols during its eight-month deployment, according to its own press release. The last was on Monday.
- It started with more than 350 soldiers and transitioned to approximately 120 in March.
- They combined for 31,162 total patrol hours.
- Though the LNG wasn't able to conduct arrests on its own, it assisted with 171 of them.
- "Guardsmen assisted law enforcement with real-world incidents ranging from crowd disturbances and medical emergencies to the apprehension of wanted individuals," the press release says.
Between the lines: New Orleans' law enforcement has especially tightened its focus on interagency partnerships under New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick's leadership.
- That's in part what's behind the city's remarkable ongoing drop in violent crime, local leaders have said, and its increasing homicide clearance rate, as The Times-Picayune has reported.
What's next: New Orleans will likely see the National Guard again soon, whether that's as reinforcement for a major storm or as the city celebrates Mardi Gras 2027.