LCG held a press conference alongside parish law enforcement to announce a new endeavor aimed at violent crime.
At the presser, which began at 11:00 a.m., Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory, Lafayette Parish Sheriff Mark Garber and other law enforcement officials spoke about the new program
Guillory stated that the city is focused on fighting crime through a partnership between city and parish law enforcement.
Sheriff Mark Garber explained that a rise of violence has been seen in the past three years, with a larger increase in the past year.
Garber said today they will address the rise in violent crime the parish and city has seen, attributable to small groups of people in the parish and Acadiana area.
Garber gave details on violent crime increases including 17 homicides in 2019, 21 homicides in 2020 and 29 homicides in 2021.
Formation of local violent crime task force will combine deputies and officers from LPD and LPSO to displace and dissipate violence crime. Garber says the goal is not to arrest as many people as possible.
The goal, he said, is to target gun crimes, remove illegal guns from the street, and leverage investigations with new technologies.
Garber thanked the Police Department and looks forward to working together. "We are stronger together."
The sheriff says that they will use existing resources, including current employees with LPD and LPSO. Garber says anywhere from 10 to 40 officers and deputies would be on the task force at any given time.
"Enough to get the job done," he stated.
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