Ben Myers

2 weeks ago | officer.com | Ben Myers

The New Orleans Police Department's standing among residents has continued to improve alongside dramatic declines in violent crime, according to an annual survey commissioned by the New Orleans Crime Coalition to gauge perceptions of local law enforcement and public safety.

3 weeks ago | corrections1.com | Joseph Cranney |Ben Myers

By Joseph Cranney and Ben MyersThe Times-Picayune | The New Orleans AdvocateNEW ORLEANS — Long before 10 inmates escaped from the Orleans Parish jail, the lockup had a pattern of unmanned tiers, faulty cell locks and inmates wandering without supervision, detailed records from the past five years show. The records paint a chaotic picture of violence, cellblock fires, smuggled-in drugs and other contraband. Dorms housing even the jail’s most problematic inmates have had serious security breaches.

Jan 13, 2025 | shreveportbossieradvocate.com | Ben Myers

As part of a sweeping effort to spruce up New Orleans before the Super Bowl on Feb. 9, Gov. Jeff Landry said Monday his administration will begin clearing homeless encampments downtown, moving some residents to a Gentilly warehouse miles away and others to undisclosed locations out of state. The 70,000-square-foot shelter is expected to open by Wednesday, when state authorities plan to begin relocating those living on the streets around the Caesars Superdome, French Quarter, I-10 and US 90.

Jan 1, 2025 | sunherald.com | Ben Myers

Ten people have been killed and 20 others injured near the intersection of Bourbon Street and Canal Street in what New Orleans city officials have described as "a mass casualty incident."Mayor LaToya Cantrell's administration said a vehicle plowed through a large crowd, causing the deaths and injuries, just hours after downtown revelers rang in the new year. WWL television reports that bars and hotels in the area, including on Bourbon Street, were evacuated.

Jan 1, 2025 | miamiherald.com | Ben Myers |Jerry DiColo

The suspect accused of plowing a truck through a crowd on Bourbon Street early Wednesday morning has been identified by a law enforcement source as 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar. Police fatally shot him after the attack, which killed 10 people and injured 35. The source said Jabbar was carrying an ISIS flag in the truck, and authorities have said he was dressed in military gear.