New Orleans Police keeping National Guard records private
From Sunshine Review
21 August 2008
New Orleans Police said that they have updated numbers on where National Guard troops are located in the city, but they aren't releasing the information. Last June, WDSU submitted an information request for statistics on the Guard, but it never came. After submitting a second request, they were told that it could not be provided because the information could not be compiled.
National Guard in New Orleans
The National Guard arrived in New Orleans in the summer of 2006. Since then they have routinely patrolled neighborhoods, and have helped the New Orleans Police Department in over 6,000 arrests. While they cannot make the arrests themselves, they have been very active and instrumental in assisting them.
Lt. General Bennett J. Landrneau, in charge of the guard in Louisiana, explained, "They report to the district commanders for the NOPD."[1] There are currently over 300 soldiers throughout the city, and are scheduled to leave next January.
Guard records in dispute
Last June, WDSU filed an information request for statistics on the National Guard in the city, but were told the information could not be compiled. Police Superintendent Warren Riley was then brought before the New Orleans City Council to explain why the records were not released. Council President Arnie Fielkow posed the query to Riley, "My questions are in the reporting of information on arrests and where they are located and the time of day, that's stuff the public has asked for that they cannot get from the NOPD?"
Riley stated that he had no idea the information was being requested, and that the department would be able to provide it. After that statement, WDSU once again requested the information, and is eagerly anticipating the answer.
