Federal involvement in New Orleans

As a Republican, I’m an unlikely Obama supporter (being Black, aside) but Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s recent comments about an alleged lack of federal involvement in stopping local street crime struck a nerve. His police superintendent, not the U.S. alphabet soup of law en­force­ment agencies, drives NOPD’s morale and manpower crisis.

The U.S. Marshals Service alone performs yeoman work in capturing local, state and federal fugitives, Trung T. Le, of recent Bourbon St. shooting infamy, included. Felons on the loose power violent crime and thankfully the marshals and partner agencies help stem the tide.

New Orleans mayor can’t blame the president and U.S. Attorney General Holder for local executive errors. NOPD’s tragic role in staffing every other agency but itself is due to his choice of police superintendent, not distant federal decision makers.

I’d assume the mayor was more respectful when he asked for President Obama’s endorsement during his successful reelection effort.

– Nadra Enzi

This article originally published in the July 14, 2014 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.