NEW ORLEANS, LA - Today, District E City Councilmember Oliver M. Thomas Jr. issued the following statement:

“As a city that just recently observed the 20th anniversary of Katrina, we know what it means to see the National Guard on our streets. We’ve lived through that, and it was a scary time. What we learned then and must remember now is that safety comes from partnership with our community, not policing over it. We need partnerships like we do for special events, and that’s not the case now. The message this sends is that this is being done to our people, not with us.

As a member of the Budget Committee, I am keenly aware that right now, taxpayers are spending $1 million every single day to keep federal troops in Washington, D.C. That’s $24 million in just 24 days, and by the end of the year the total could climb to $143 million. Imagine what New Orleans could do with that kind of investment—after-school programs for our kids, reentry services for our neighbors, mental health care, better resources for our parks, and more and stronger tools for local law enforcement. We wouldn’t just be leading in crime reduction in parts of my District, namely the East, but could seed the money to ensure a long term crime reduction strategy and build opportunity.

We already see it when the Mayor and Governor coordinate on public safety needs and the State adds capacity through Louisiana State Police. What we need more of are those kinds of resources, funding, training, and support for our local police, not federal troops sent in to control our communities.

This is exactly why elections matter. Too often, politicians will say whatever you want to hear, but once they have power, they use it to control and take away instead of serve. We need leaders who are steady, accountable, and true to the people they represent.

I’ll continue to fight for a safer New Orleans by making sure we invest in people, not politics, and by building a city that truly serves everyone. New Orleans needs a partner, not a predator.”