Public Safety
Covering topics such as corrections, criminal justice, emergency management, gun control and police/fire/EMS.
Facing surging caseloads tied to school bus violations, court officials are launching a pilot service to handle routine filings and payments without entering the courthouse.
The state has opened a handful of gasoline distribution sites, where residents can go to get 10 gallons for free, to help the state recover from the recent Category 3 storm. But lines to get the free gas are long and supplies are limited.
The FBI’s quarterly data shows there has been a 23 percent decrease in murder nationally. New Orleans, however, has seen a sharper decrease, with a 39 percent drop in murders and less than 100 murders so far this year.
Brandon Johnson had promised to veto the ordinance that would continue the gunshot detection system but failed to make the move before the deadline. Political battles over the technology are ongoing.
Louisiana’s criminal justice system now treats all 17-year-olds as adults. Lawmakers lowered the age from 18 to curb teen violence, but nearly 70 percent of the 17-year-olds arrested in the state’s three largest parishes aren’t accused of violent crimes.
Elevating buildings to avoid storm surges and flooding can increase the chance of survival for people and homes along the coast. But as hurricanes like Helene, and possibly Milton, continue to break records, building higher may not be enough.
As cities step up their enforcement efforts in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling, they should consider both the financial costs and the public safety ramifications of treating homelessness as a crime.
Historic rainfall that devastated the Southeast was generated by conditions that still exist. What lessons can local governments in other parts of the country take from Helene?
More than 6,200 National Guard troops from a dozen states are responding to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which has left millions without power and at least 121 dead.
As president, Trump signed a sweeping criminal justice reform measure. During the campaign this year, he's returned to his roots as a tough-on-crime politician.
The Legislative Emergency Board approved the funding last week. Spending on wildfires this year has reached $250 million, which is more than double the amount budgeted for the response.
By the time federal crime rate statistics are published, they're already out of date. A new online resource provides a month-to-month view of crime rates.
Last week, Mayor Brandon Johnson vetoed the Aldermen’s unanimous vote to keep the gunshot detection technology, saying the system doesn’t work well enough to justify its costs. Some residents are worried that without it, police response time will lag.
The emergency declaration would kick off a “public education” campaign about road safety for drivers and pedestrians and would jumpstart the implementation of “quick-build” safety projects.
The Community Outreach and Stabilization Unit began in 2018 and put behavioral health practitioners with police officers to assist with mental health and/or chemical dependency calls. The city plans to launch a new program next year.
An economist is making the case for such a correlation, and it carries a ring of plausibility.
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