The Shreveport City Council has an agenda item for its work session today (Jan.27 ) that will be interesting to follow.
Ordinance 7 of 2025 is an emergency ordinance authorizing and requiring the purchase of property and improvements at 8509 Line Avenue, Shreveport La., 71106 to be used as a police substation.
The ordinance was introduced by Councilman Gary Brooks and co-sponsored by council members Tabatha Taylor, Jim Taliaferro, and James Green. Council member Ursula Bowman has indicated she will vote for this ordinance.
An emergency ordinance can be adopted as a first reader if passed by a two-thirds vote of the Council. Thus, it will require five votes for passage at the regular council meeting tomorrow (Tuesday).
The Shreveport City Charter provides that "an emergency ordinance, which shall be for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health or safety, shall contain a specific statement of the emergency claimed...."
The proposed ordinance identifies two emergencies to justify its adoption:
a. "an emergency exists regarding the health and safety of its police officers due to the mold infestation, inadequate heating and cooling systems, and raw sewage in the Shreveport Police Station having created an environment that is hazardous to the well-being of law enforcement personnel such that the building must be vacated so that a newly remodeled station can be built"
b. "an emergency exists regarding the safety of citizens and the public peace in southeast Shreveport if a substation is not established in southeast Shreveport so that officers can timely respond to that area during the time period the police station is closed..."
The ordinance states that this location is "an ideal location for a police substation to resolve the emergencies created by the condition of the existing police station..."
The 2021 General Obligation bond package funded three police substations. These funds were allocated by the City Council in 2022.
The City has designated locations for two of the three funded substations.
One is in the 1500 block of North Market on property donated to the City by the North Shreveport Business Association. The second location is on the corner of Monkhouse Drive and Interstate Drive at the former Foremost Dairy site.
The proposed ordinance dictates that the City purchase the 8509 Line Avenue location for fair market value as determined by an appraisal. It also mandates that the mayor shall take all necessary actions to have the building appraised and purchased at its fair market value.