The Shreveport City Council can enact an ordinance at its Aug. 8 meeting to divvy up the proceeds received by the city from Blue Line school camera enforcement tickers.
The current ordinance sets up funds for public safety (30%), streets (30%), early childhood education (30%) and financial empowerment (10%).
Thirty (30%) percent of these anticipated traffic ticket moneys will equate to approximately $1 million.
The ticket proceeds will be deposited in each of these funds and then appropriated by separate actions by the council.
Shreveport citizens are always concerned about city streets.
Early childhood education should be a priority of the Caddo Schools, not the city of Shreveport.
The city's financial empowerment center is a good thing, but certainly not a top of the mind for John Doe.
Crime is always a top priority and even more so this year with 44 homicides and several mass shootings.
The Shreveport Police Department is down 140 officers from its budgeted positions.
it is highly unlikely that any substantial progress on this deficit will be made in the near future, as retirements and resignations outpace new hires.
Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith discussed in great detail the need for additional equipment at the Tuesday, July 25, Public Safety Committee meeting.
With fewer officers, technology is a great tool to bridge the manpower gap and to provide irrefutable evidence for criminal prosecutions.
Here are some suggestions for additional technology equipment that can be purchased this year with the extra funding:
a. more street cameras for high crime areas and downtown areas.
b. more license plate readers for high-crime areas.
c. more drones that can be used to survey large crowds and for utilization at active shooter scenes.
d. mobile security camera units.
e. a mobile crime scene command center.
This list is not all inclusive nor is it listed in any particular priority order.
Blue Line moneys will be a recurring source of income, but it is likely to decline as citizens become more obedient to school zones and speed limits.
These moneys would be best invested in technology that can be an immediate boost for law enforcement and provide benefits for several years.
John came to Shreveport in January of 1977 when he was transferred to Barksdale AFB.
He’s been active in Shreveport politics since deciding to make Shreveport his home.
John practiced law for 40 years and he now monitors local politics. He regularly attends Shreveport City Council and Caddo Parish Commission meetings.
John is published weekly in The Inquisitor, bi-monthly in The Forum News, and frequently in the Shreveport Times.
He enjoys addressing civic groups on local government issues and elections.