More security measures will be in place along the lakefront in New Orleans as families celebrate Easter on Sunday, authorities said.
To keep families safe, Orleans Levee District Police are partnering with Troop NOLA, Louisiana State Police, and the Orleans Police Department to patrol a five-mile stretch of Lakeshore Drive Sunday, the Flood Protection Authority said. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will patrol waterways, and the Coast Guard will work along the banks.
“We have a total of 80 commissioned officers and six of our levee maintenance workers who will be deployed along Lakeshore Drive at a five-mile stretch,” Orleans Levee District Police Superintendent Joshua Rondeno said during a news conference on Tuesday. “We have mounted patrols. We have ATV patrols. We will have aerial patrols by both drone and helicopters available on Easter Sunday.”
Rondeno said they’ll have six maintenance workers stationed on levees to watch for unauthorized vehicles like ATVs and dirt bikes doing donuts.
“Our levees have turf armor that protects the earth and infrastructure. So four wheelers and dirt bikes cause damage to the turf. As we near the beginning of flood season, we need to make sure that the levees remain protected,” he said.
There will be about 80 cameras and other technological assets monitoring activity in the area, Rondeno added.
“So we'll know who comes and goes and where they are. And the folks who don't belong here,” he said.
Police will shut down the westbound lane of Lakeshore from the Seabrook Bridge to West End Boulevard at Shelter One to keep a lane open for emergency vehicles.
Other safety measures include:
- Newly marked no-parking zones in parking lots and parking bays to help regulate traffic and reduce congestion
- Informational signs placed throughout the area to deter swimming and to raise awareness about alligators in local waterways
- Enhanced public amenities, including refreshed restroom facilities and more frequent trash collections to maintain cleanliness
In response to the New Year's Day attack on Bourbon Street that left 14 people dead, the city has been increasing security at public events.
When asked about the increased security, Rondeno said the agency was being proactive.
“We don’t believe in surprises,” he said. “We’ve never outlined enforcement measures like this before, but we’ve also never faced a situation quite like this.”
Residents can get real-time alerts on traffic restrictions and temporary closures by texting LAKESHOREDRIVE to 77295 or signing up for email notifications online.
