Security Chaos in New Orleans: What Went Wrong?

In 2019, a private security firm, Interfor International, released a report highlighting the messy state of security in New Orleans' French Quarter. The report blamed political squabbles among law enforcement agencies and stakeholders for hampering efforts to keep the area safe. This dysfunction became tragically clear after a deadly truck ramming incident on New Year's Day. The report had warned about the need to fix security measures, including bollards on Bourbon Street, but it's unclear if these warnings were heeded. The French Quarter Management District (FQMD) commissioned the report to improve security, but the patchwork of agencies and their infighting made it hard to get anything done. The report suggested merging security efforts, but it's uncertain if this advice was followed. The recent attack shows that security in the French Quarter remains a complex and urgent issue.