Mayor Cantrell wants ‘tactical expert’ to review New Orleans security plan, bollard installation

On January 7, 2025By Littum

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Mayor LaToya Cantrell said she wants a “tactical expert” to review New Orleans’ safety plan and planned installation of new traffic-blocking bollards on Bourbon Street, a project targeted for completion by next month Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome.

“We are asking for a tactical expert to be in the city of New Orleans this week to go over all of our plans that have been put in place by a unified command that we have literally been working on for months on end,” said Cantrell said Sunday (Jan. 5) at a news conference at the FBI New Orleans field office. or not.”

A weekend report by NOLA.com quoted two industry experts as saying that the type of bollards the city has planned to install before the Super Bowl are even less formidable than those installed in 2017 and are not rated to withstand a truck attack of the type that just left 14 people dead and dozens injured early Wednesday in the French Quarter.

Cantrell did not directly address the criticisms in the report of the bollards chosen by the city.

“We’re also asking if they’re not, we’re looking for, OK, how and what and where to put them,” Cantrell said. “So this is a work in progress. And we are committed to doing whatever is necessary to ensure public safety measures. Hardening. Hardening of target areas in preparation not only for the Super Bowl, but also for Mardi Gras.”

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Fox 8 asked Cantrell if she can guarantee the safety of Bourbon Street with the type of bollards being installed.

“So what I would say is that an expert opinion is something that will assure us that what we’re installing meets the need,” Cantrell said. “But if not, we won’t stop there. But what we do know is that the bollards that are being placed now are part of the Super Bowl (infrastructure) package and the installation has been nearing completion and will be completed in the coming weeks.

“The thorough assessment that I’m asking for will determine whether there actually are, they’re strong enough. So I can’t say for sure that they are. But an expert will be able to do that, and we will respond accordingly.”

It was unclear what type of “expert” Cantrell is seeking to review security plans for Super Bowl LIX and Mardi Gras, which have been crafted for months in collaboration with Homeland Security, the FBI, the ATF, state and local police and other agencies. Cantrell did not specify whether she is seeking a new security clearance from anyone in the federal or state government, the military or the private sector.

Street closures near the Caesars Superdome and Smoothie King Center ahead of the Feb. 9 Super Bowl are scheduled to begin Monday as part of the existing safety plan.

“What will be done immediately is what you’ve seen us demonstrate, even hosting (the postponed Jan. 2) Sugar Bowl in the city of New Orleans,” Cantrell said. “Hardening target areas is something we will continue to do and deploy our assets accordingly.

“This is about making sure all assets are deployed strategically, again to harden any public safety target areas. We know we demonstrated that for the Sugar Bowl. We will continue to demonstrate that in preparation for parades, the Super Bowl, as well as Mardi Gras.”

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