NEW ORLEANS — Deandra Carr has called the Lower Ninth Ward home for thirty years and was part of crowd of folks at a church in her neighborhood Monday night were public safety was top of mind.
“In the lower nine the only time we see policemen is when something happens,” Carr said.
That meeting was hosted by Mayor LaToya Cantrell and District E councilman Oliver Thomas.
“No one deserves to feel unsafe,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell during the District E community meeting.
The meeting comes as the city deals with increases in violent crime, like car jackings and murders.
“All of us are going to have to be engaged if we’re going to fix this city,” Thomas said. “We’ve got some challenges and some stuff to fix.”
Those challenges were read off as questions for the mayor and councilman to address all sorts of quality of life issues, like code enforcement and streets, the biggest, how to better handle crime.
“As mayor, I refuse to take just a focus on law enforcement. It has to be a holistic approach, one that focuses on prevention, intervention, and of course personal responsibility,” Mayor Cantrell said.
Mayor Cantrell pointed to 12 hour shifts for officers and community action teams as helping get criminals off the streets. She said prevention programs, especially for juveniles, must be part of the long term solution.
“We need accountability and I believe that we’re pushing toward that through these programs and interactions with their families,” said Mayor Cantrell.
Community activists challenged the city on meeting direct needs.
“If you want to see change in this community, resources are going to have to reach these children,” said one man.
Mayor Cantrell said millions of dollars are being invested in programs to help and communities will be involved, but the money needed will never be enough.
“What we do have, if we get it to organizations that are truly doing the work on the ground, I think that we will really begin to see more results in our community,” Mayor Cantrell said.
To help, Thomas said the city will even partner with schools for conflict resolution programs, but schools can’t be the end of it.
“We have to establish a respect for the law, but also let families and cities know they’re in this fight too and we can’t be successful without them,” Thomas said.
Carr agreed and hoped all these words are more than just talk.
“They listen and they’re concerned. Now we have to watch and see what happens,” Carr said.