Guard to pull out of New Orleans after 3 1/2 years

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Three and a half years after Hurricane Katrina, the National Guard is pulling the last of its troops out of New Orleans this weekend, leaving behind a city still desperate and dangerous. Residents long distrustful of the city’s police force are worried they will have to fend for themselves.

“I don’t know if crime will go up after these guys leave. But I know a lot more of us will be packing our own pieces now to make sure we’re protected,” said Calvin Stewart, owner of a restaurant and store.

New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley said his rebuilt police department is up to the job of protecting the city. “I think we’re ready to handle things,” he said.

The National Guardsmen were welcomed as liberators when they arrived in force in a big convoy more than four days after Katrina struck New Orleans in August 2005 and plunged the city into anarchy. The force was eventually 15,000 strong.

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Guard to pull out of New Orleans after 3 1/2 years

I am going to say something that some may find to be offensive, oh well.

New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley is the dumbest son of a bitch to EVER wear a badge and gun. Riley couldn’t find his own ass with both hands, a set of directions and a Garmin GPS unit!

The National Guardsmen were welcomed as liberators when they arrived in force in a big convoy more than four days after Katrina struck New Orleans in August 2005 and plunged the city into anarchy. The force was eventually 15,000 strong.

When Hurricane Ike hit a few months ago, there was a hefty influx of Guardsmen to the NOLA area, my Son and his unit were part of that buildup. They took on patrol and law enforcement duties, many of them are certified officers on various departments in Louisiana and this was a life saver to the folks of Jefferson and Orleans parishes. Once it was a certainty that Ike wasn’t going to play havoc with New Orleans, most of the Guard troops were released back to their own parishes, some of which were impacted by Ike.

New Orleans had 210 murders in 2007, making it the murder capital of America, with the highest per-capita rate in the country. That number dropped to 179 in 2008.

Nevertheless, “crime continues to be this community’s No. 1 concern. Even with the lower numbers it is still unacceptably high,” said Rafael Goyeneche, executive director of the Metropolitan Crime Commission.

The very thought that the NOPD will be able to control crime without the help of the Guard or the Louisiana State Police is laughable at best! New Orleans has been on the verge of out of control for a very long time, pre-Katrina. New Orleans today is still one of the most dangerous cities in America. The exit of the Louisiana Army National Guard will not do anything to help that problem. All one has to do to understand the WHY of New Orleans crime problems is to simply look at what serves as leadership in the City of New Orleans, *Chocolate* Ray Nagin and his *Yes Man*, Warren Riley.

God help the decent people of New Orleans, they are seriously going to need all the help they can get now!