Louisiana governor declares state of emergency due to police shortage

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency Friday due to a shortage of police officers throughout the Bayou State.

The governor’s office said in a statement that Louisiana sheriffs’ offices were short by roughly 1,800 deputies statewide. Those shortages are blamed for law enforcement issues including slower response times.

“As a former police officer and sheriff’s deputy, I understand the vital role our law enforcement officers play in our communities,” Landry said. “Currently, our state is facing a shortage of officers, resulting in increased crime and less public safety.”

Landry hopes his executive order, in conjunction with a special session among Louisiana officials, will empower law enforcement “to bring law and order back to our state.”

Last October, reports by WalletHub and Hubscore ranked Louisiana the nation’s most dangerous state, according to the Shreveport Times. That same month, Landry won his gubernatorial seat following a campaign to battle crime throughout the state, with a focus on the cities of Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Shreveport — which reportedly rank in the top 10 worst U.S. cities for crime.

“Unequivocally, we have a crime problem,” he reportedly said during his campaign. “Enough is enough.”

Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association Executive Director Michael Ranatza on Friday applauded the governor’s actions to address the state’s “desperate need” for cops.

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