The Shreveport City Council Public Safety Committee just held today (Tues.) the most productive committee meeting of the council in the last several years--maybe the last eight years encompassing the two prior administrations.

The success of the meeting was attributable to many factors:

a. Attendance by all council members, the mayor, the CAO, the city marshal, the assistant parish administrator, the DDA executive director, the North Shreveport Business Association president,
SWEPCO director of external affairs and many other public and private officials.

b. Direction of the meeting by committee chair councilman Grayson Boucher who limited speakers to the allotted three minutes, kept the questions to speakers on point and pushed through a long agenda.

c. DDA Executive Director Liz Swaine commented on existing ordinances and laws that should be enforced to limit the unlawful activities of many visiting downtown.

d. Chief Smith, who was at the lecture for over an hour, answered inquiries succinctly and provided many items of new information pertinent to the discussions.

Here is a brief summary of the pertinent information shared at this meeting:

1. Many of the problems downtown occur in the early am hours by people not visiting the clubs.

2. The Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) has approximately 860 registered cameras, with a capacity of 1500. The Operation Safe Neighborhood Program will distribute 500 ring doorbells that will be tied into the RTCC.

3. The city has installed 20 license plate readers (LRS) around the city and have ordered 40 more to assist with crime prevention and enforcement.

4. SPD has made available space at the Texas Ave. headquarters to house a Blue Line Solutions person and during the meeting CAO Tom Dark texted the company advising Blue Line to staff this office.

5. The RTCC has made substantial improvement in crime detention and camera installation in the last six months after being transferred to SPD supervision.

6. Unfortunately, many owners of downtown parking lots have refused to sign affidavits that allow SPD to conduct law enforcement on the private lots, and one has refused to allow a mobile crime unit to be placed on its property.

7. Chief Wayne emphasized that technology is very important and that more cameras, lighting and drones will improve the efficiency of his office.

8. Both Chief Wayne and SFC Chief Clarence Reece briefed the committee on equipment on order and equipment needed for their departments.

The next meeting of the Public Safety Committee meeting will be on Tues. Aug 8 at 1 p.m.