Checkpoints to Combat New Orleans Crime

[paramedic70002]

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2007/01/10/D8MI7FEG0.html

Checkpoints to Combat New Orleans Crime

Jan 10 12:20 AM US/Eastern


By MARY FOSTER
Associated Press Writer






NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Police plan to set up checkpoints beginning Wednesday to help curb a crime wave that has claimed nine lives since the start of 2007, Mayor Ray Nagin said, stopping short of imposing a curfew on this tourism- dependent city.
The checkpoints will operate between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., when about a third of the city's violent crime occurs, and will target drug and alcohol violations as well as motorist insurance. The first one was to be held in a crime-ridden area of the city.



Nagin said the police force would also increase foot patrols, sheriff deputies would supplement the force, and authorities would increase the number of surveillance cameras in high-crime areas. Speeding homicide cases through the court system is also part of his plan.

"This city will focus on murders," Nagin said, flanked by Police Superintendent Warren Riley, District Attorney Eddie Jordan and others speaking at the bloodstained site of the city's first murder of 2007. "We're drawing a line in the sand, and we're saying, 'We've had it.'"

A curfew had been opposed by the city's tourism leaders, who said it would further hurt businesses struggling since Hurricane Katrina. While Nagin did not declare a curfew, he said the message to citizens was to stay off the streets in high-crime areas and in early morning hours.

Nagin acknowledged the criminal justice breakdown extended beyond the police force and said a corps of volunteers will be recruited to monitor homicide cases moving through the courts. "We're sending a signal that the system that used to allow you to commit a murder and there were no consequences is over. It has been easier to commit a murder than another crime in New Orleans," Nagin said.

Also Tuesday, Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to share more information on trailer residents with police, especially in New Orleans.

Law enforcement officials say the large trailer sites _ where about 3,000 people still live in New Orleans _ have turned into hot spots for drug dealers, prostitutes and even murderers. FEMA has been very tightlipped about who is living at the sites, which has hindered police work, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff Jack Stephens said.

"We're largely still in the dark," Stephens said. "They won't share information."

Rachel Rodi, a FEMA spokeswoman, said the "records of applicants for FEMA assistance" cannot be shared, a policy all federal agencies adhere to. However, FEMA turns over information to investigators if they have "a specific, legally sufficient need," she said.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[peacefuljeffrey]

It sounds like what they will be doing is using drug and alcohol and automobile insurance infractions as a ploy to check people's I.D. and find out if they are dangerous people who should not be out and about. The article says they will focus on murders. DUH. But if they want to focus on murders, but the checkpoints will be about those other things listed, then that pretty much admits that they are just a ploy.

Nagin acknowledged the criminal justice breakdown extended beyond the police force and said a corps of volunteers will be recruited to monitor homicide cases moving through the courts. "We're sending a signal that the system that used to allow you to commit a murder and there were no consequences is over. It has been easier to commit a murder than another crime in New Orleans," Nagin said.

I don't suppose that he made any specific reminder that this "criminal justice breakdown" was happening on HIS WATCH, and that maybe he DIDN'T DESERVE TO BE RE-ELECTED after being so incompetent.

Here he is, admitting that he has been asleep at the switch while murder essentially ran rampant in his city: it was easier to get away with murder than with other crimes, he says! Nice. He makes it sound like it's some grand new idea that just came to him, that maybe the authorities should take a tough and uncompromising stand when it comes to MURDER. Gee whiz, do ya think so?!

Maybe the N.O. authorities realized long ago that the crime was mostly P.O.S.'s killing other P.O.S.'s and they didn't want to get in the way... In any case, New Orleans is a disgrace in my view, and so is Nagin (to say nothing of his "confiscate the good peoples' guns" plan after Katrina), and so are the idiots who voted him back into office. Rather like the vote-by-skin-color that occurred to put crackhead Marion Barry back in after his drug bust. What else explains it?

[bae]

Nagin is still in charge there? The mind boggles.

[SIXTO]

I didnt read the whole article, but I hope the checkpoints are set up to stop the outbound traffic.

[P95Carry]

I am appalled that Nagin is still in power. He should have been sacked after all the Katrina debacle.

All this and a huge chunk of the populace is still spread around other states ......... what hope for sanity? Not much!

[Colin]

Nagin is still in charge there? The mind boggles.

Don't you know it's all the fault of the law abiding citizens that didn't turn in their guns earlier!!! Just look into his eyes, those big puppy dog eyes, how can you blame him for anything you heartless soul!

[speedlinehobbies]

Maybe they could move these checkpoints to he US/Mexican border next

[homersimpson]

Ummm... checkpoints?!? Papers?!? sound familiar anyone?

[sheepdog]

"This city will focus on murders," Nagin said,

This may be the funniest thing I have read in years. It sounds to me like you guys were already focusing on murders, Ray. How else could you get so many so fast?
I glad I saw NOLA before the storm and I enjoyed it. I had plans of going back. But after seeing how bad things really are (it's not like the hotel people didn't warn us which way to NEVER walk when we went out on Canal Street) and seeing that the city seems to have a majority population of ignorant racists and/or criminals (see Congressman William Jefferson allegations) I'll just have to read about the WWII Museum.

[Only Glock]

Maybe the N.O. authorities realized long ago that the crime was mostly P.O.S.'s killing other P.O.S.'s and they didn't want to get in the way... In any case, New Orleans is a disgrace in my view, and so is Nagin (to say nothing of his "confiscate the good peoples' guns" plan after Katrina), and so are the idiots who voted him back into office. Rather like the vote-by-skin-color that occurred to put crackhead Marion Barry back in after his drug bust. What else explains it?

Couldn't have said it better my politically incorrect self.

[ExSoldier]

If the antis have their way, watch for this to spread nationwide in the name of stopping "terrorism" of course. Remember that one provision of the Patriot Act was that NATIONAL I.D. card that must be implemented nationwide by 2009, IIRC. Another step towards 1936 and soon we'll be hearing a ringing voice of authority yell (with a faint german accent?): HALT! You VILL show me your PApers, now!

[peacefuljeffrey]

Wasn't it Nagin who made the comment about his hopes that NOLA would be a "chocolate" city after they rebuild it?

(Funny, everywhere else that was hit by the storm is rebuilt already... You know, the ones who did it themselves instead of sitting on their duffs until someone threw money at them.)

When he makes obvious racist comments like he did, it's quite obvious that it was a D.C.-esque vote-by-skin-color that put him back in. Why else, apart from that allegiance because he's the same race, would blacks vote for a guy who failed the city and its people so badly?

And then he tried to backpedal -- remember that? He actually tried to say that what he meant was some sort of a milk-chocolate mixture! Yeah, sure Ray.

[retsupt99]

Just go house to house and beat up all the old ladies with guns...they already have the 'plan' for this...
And make some 'tough' new gun laws that will rid the community of crime...they already have this plan too...

Stupid people ... deserve all the crime that they have encouraged!

OMO

ret

[my2cents]

Nagin is still in charge there? The mind boggles.

Well, he was re-elected, but I wouldn't say he's in charge.

[SIGguy229]

Hey, you know...I haven't heard about all the rapes, robberies and murders in Colorado, ND, SD, OK, MO after the snow and ice storms. I don't see FEMA, Jesse Jackson, or other welfare-enabling snake oil merchants protesting the lack of support to the families who are without food, water, heat or power.

Kinda makes you think!