Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has formally requested 1,000 National Guard troops be sent to his state, citing what he called a surge in violent crime and stretched local law enforcement resources.
Landry made the request in a September 29 letter sent to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, warning that New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport face a “convergence of elevated violent crime rates” and personnel shortages among police.
The governor said the shortages have limited the ability of local officers to respond and contributed to a rise in homicides, carjackings, and gang violence, stating in the letter to Hegseth that the rates of those crimes “significantly exceed the national average.”
Additionally, Landry explained that the prevalence of natural disasters continues to elevate the rates of these crimes, writing in the letter that a natural disaster “further strains the limited public safety resources available to local and state government.”
“Since taking office, we have made real progress in driving down crime across Louisiana — but the job is far from finished,” Landry said during an appearance on Fox News, per News Nation.
“Federal partnerships in our toughest cities have worked, and now, with the support of President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, we are taking the next step by bringing in the National Guard. This mission is about saving lives and protecting families. To the criminals terrorizing our communities: your time is up. Law and order are back in Louisiana.”
Landry outlined in his letter that the National Guard troops would be used “throughout the state to urban centers, supplement law enforcement presence in high-crime areas,” and to “provide logistical and communication support, and secure critical infrastructure.”
This request comes amid ongoing debates about whether the use of the National Guard is acceptable in major U.S. cities as a means to help reduce violent crime.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the National Guard has already been deployed to multiple major cities, including both Washington, D.C., and Memphis, Tennessee.
Additionally, President Donald Trump has hinted that National Guard troops could be deployed to other cities, such as Chicago and Portland, Oregon; however, it remains to be seen whether this directive will be implemented.
Could this be the foreseeable fate of Dallas? After all, the City of Dallas continues to fail voters in achieving the mandated number of police officers and comparable compensation.
As reported by DX, increased levels of crime have persisted as a significant problem in Dallas over recent years. Similar to Louisiana, the shortage of sworn police officers stands out as a key reason for the issues.
The Metroplex Civic & Business Association recently conducted a study comparing crime rates in Dallas and Fort Worth, with the former having approximately nine times the crime rate of the latter.
Dallas voters passed Proposition U in an attempt to hold the city accountable for increasing police presence throughout Dallas, but the City Council has taken little action to address the requirements outlined in the directive.
Dallas’ budget fails to meet Proposition U’s requirements, falling short of the mandated 4,000 sworn police officers and not achieving a top-five regional ranking for starting police pay.
While there is currently no indication whether the National Guard could be a solution, the city appears to be trending in that direction as crime continues to be an issue, with very few solutions from the city.
