NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – The city’s main tourism marketing organization is weighing in on the possibility of President Donald Trump deploying National Guard troops to New Orleans.
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New Orleans has been mentioned among possible locations for a federal deployment aimed at boosting public safety. Whether the Guard is needed in that capacity remains under debate.
Walt Leger, president and CEO of New Orleans & Company, said the tourism industry has heard mixed reactions from customers.
“We have some customers who are definite businesses, who said that they would welcome the presence to increase public safety. We’ve had others who have expressed concern about that. We’ve had customers who said they don’t want to see that when they arrive,” Walt Leger said.
MORE: Tourism chief responds to possible National Guard deployment to New Orleans
Leger says if guard troops will be patrolling or posted on streets, he hopes it’ll be done in a way that maintains the air of hospitality which drives the local economy.
“At the end of the day, we want people to feel welcome. We want them to both be safe and be welcome in our community but also to feel that way. And so, I do think optics matter. I think being strategic about deployment is important,” Leger said.
New Orleans is on pace for a third consecutive year of less crime and fewer murders, and Leger says that reduction is the result of the community collaborating with police. If the National Guard comes to town, he believes that strategy of collaboration will continue.
“I think being strategic about how you deploy the resources is the kind of thing that we want to be left in the hands of local law enforcement leaders in partnership with those other officials. And our trust would be there,” Leger said.
“If the people from Washington are going to guess where the problem is, I don’t think it’s going to work out,” David Rubenstein said.
Business owner David Rubenstein, who co-owns Rubenstein’s Men’s Clothing and the Rubenstein Hotel on Canal Street, has been outspoken about safety concerns along the corridor. He said with the New Orleans Police Department down more than 300 officers, the city could benefit from Guard support — but only if local leaders decide how they are used.
“The way that I say that it’s done right is if they come under the control of people who know where crime is, which is our police chief. And if she wants to station them where she needs them, that’s it. Anything else would be a guessing game,” said David Rubenstein.
MORE: Gov. Landry avoids timeline for National Guard, but says deployment will help state’s economy
Memphis is the latest U.S. city where the President is sending troops. So far, there are no official marching orders for New Orleans.
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