(no subject)

[novapsyche]

That the National Guard has entered New Orleans "to reinforce a depleted police department and battle a surge in violence" disturbs me.

Not that I don't want stability for New Orleans.

But the Guard went in not because of a disaster or sudden crisis. They did so just "to reinforce a depleted police department." This after six people were killed in a weekend.

What's to stop my governor from sending in the Guard to beef up the police in Detroit?

Comments

[dsgood.livejournal.com]

It's been done. At one time, it was done fairly regularly to deal with the threat of labor unions.

I believe it was done in Detroit, but I don't have citations handy.

[eleri.livejournal.com]

Nothing. 'Cause that's part of the NG's job description, to reenforce police departments. And this *was* because of a disaster. Katrina may be long gone, but the police department is depleted as a direct result.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

I did look up the National Guard and their duties, but I didn't see that explicitly stated.

I realize that the police of NO was depleted, as you say, due to the hurricane. Still, to call out the Guard due to one weekend's worth of violence seems extreme to me.

[brendand.livejournal.com]

I was trying to see how this was a big deal. I do see your point, but I don't think it's a bad decision.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

Whenever you have to call in the Army to reinforce the police, I think that's a big deal, personally. The Guard is part of the Army.

I'm glad that you see my point. I think, if the decision was necessary and the situation warranted it, the Guard should have been there the entire time normalizing the city until it was inhabitable. (I don't think people should be there right now anyway, not until they get all the buildings torn down and they make sure that it's environmentally safe for citizens to return.) If you read the article, it says that the police chief doesn't believe his forces have lost control of the city. If that's true, then why was the Guard needed in the first place? Other than to condition the citizenry to accept the military as a police force.

[brendand.livejournal.com]

Well, mjwise's roommate (during Katrina) was in the guard, and he was asked to go down there for (assuming I'm remembering correctly) and undisclosed amount of time. He could have been down there for months. He came back in like a week or two. I don't know why they were allowed to go home so early. Clearly there was more to be done.

And police chiefs like to think they can handle anything and everything. Their pride is what drives them. It's hard to imagine that someone can honestly think that they haven't lost control of the city. That place is probably still a zoo.