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Neighbors, police guard vacated homes

Posted: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 3:12 PM
Filed Under:

By Don Teague, NBC News Correspondent

It was a little before noon. I was driving through various New Orleans neighborhoods and surveying the situation. For the most part that meant empty block after empty block. All was quiet.

Then I turned down Franklin Avenue in Gentilly Terrace, north of the French Quarter.

"Uh Oh," I said to myself.

I had just driven into what looked like a standoff. There were no fewer than two dozen police officers surrounding a modest white house. There were New Orleans Police, Military Police, Louisiana State Police, State Wildlife Officers, and two police dogs. They all looked serious.

I circled the block, stopped a safe distance away, grabbed a video camera, and jumped out of the car. Standoff's can be tricky, so my first thought was finding some cover in case bullets started flying. Then I noticed that all of the police were standing in the open. There were no guns drawn.

"Well that's weird," I thought. 

I spotted a neighbor watching the action from his driveway across the street. If there had been a gunman somewhere, the police would have moved the neighbor. They didn't, so I cautiously made my way over to him. As I got closer to the house, I noticed even more cops and military police in the backyard.

"Do you know what's going on?" I asked the neighbor.

"Yeah, I thought I heard a noise across the street, so I called the cops."

I looked back toward the white house. A very large police dog was now straining at his handler's leash, clearly eager to find a bad guy.

"You heard a noise, and they sent all of them?" I asked.

"I promised my neighbor I'd watch his house," the man continued, "and I thought maybe I heard some glass break over there."

"Wow," I said, "they're really serious about looting."

"I guess so," the man said. He seemed genuinely concerned, but also a little embarrassed by the fact that what amounted to an infantry platoon of cops had shown up to investigate a noise.

If it sounds like I'm making light of the situation, I'm not. I was here in New Orleans during hurricane Katrina. The lawlessness of that situation was truly frightening, and dangerous.  I'll take too many police over too few any day.

The point is, authorities are doing everything possible to protect not just the people of this city, but also their property. They made a promise to residents that if they evacuated, their homes would be protected.

Ultimately, the police didn't find a bad guy in the house. There was no evidence of a break-in. But I saw plenty of evidence that they're making good on their promise to keep New Orleans secure in the wake of Gustav.

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Comments

I am glad they are following thru on their promise to protect not only the people, but their property as well. When the next hurricane comes and it will, at least the residents should not have to worry about their property being stolen if the evacuate like ordered to do. Congrats to Mayor Nagin, the Governor of Louisiana and all the law enforcement officer that are standing watch. At least this time we can say positive things.

Steve, Richmond VA (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 3:59 PM)

Glad to hear it... This is the way it's going to have to be for New Orleans from now on.  I pitty the fool that gets caught looting from here on out.  

This is the kind of news that needs to get out to the thugs.

Sean McP, Chicago IL (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 4:20 PM)

Yeah, now is a bad time to mess with New Orleans police.  They ain't gonna arrest nobody right now, they just shoot you!

Ajax, swampland (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 4:34 PM)

Good job to the police wherever they may serve.

Josh L., Los Angeles CA (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 5:36 PM)

Must have been the home of a wealthy politician paid for by TAXPAYERS. Or perhaps a high ranking terrorist ???? No way would they protect an ordinary home like this. "NO WAY"

B.L.Bernier Wellesley,Ma 02481 (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 5:52 PM)

I think that's fantastic! Having been a law enforcement officer, and having a husband that still is, I remember reading about all of the looters, the lack of officers available, the officers that left their posts etc. I do realize though that if you're the only cop available, and there are 50+ looters around you, there's not much one cop can do in that situation. I'm glad that the officers have the resources and the back up available to do their jobs the way they should be done, and the way 99% of cops want to do their job. My hubby just told me this morning that there's a sign up sheet to go down and help if more officers are needed. From the sound of it, they won't be needed, but if they are, I know there are cops nationwide ready to come help them all out!
I hope the overwhelming response doesn't prevent others from calling if they suspect anything. We'd rather respond and find out there's no need for us, and that's what cops are there for.
One more thing. Not that it's required by any means, and yes that is their job, but it never hurts to say thanks. We all like to know we're appreciated, no matter what we do for a living. I am betting the owners of the house will also be grateful that the neighbor called.

Kristen Stephens, Northern WI (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 6:25 PM)

three years late

mark grizzard, st paul, minnesota (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 8:51 PM)

I'm so glad to hear something good about the situation in NOLA.  Yes, Katrina was truly bad and I was embarassed to be from NOLA but things there now seem much better.  Pat DeSilva, Tooele,UT

Pat , DeSilva-Emileane, Tooele, UT (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 9:37 PM)

Attaboy! Law and order go a long ways towards getting people to evacuate in future storms. The platoon approach is what is needed to maintain order in the midst of chaos and to insure confidence in the American way.

Wayne, Cleveland, Georgia (Sent Wednesday, September 03, 2008 10:09 PM)

What about if something was happening on the other side of town? There would be no cops. Come on cops..think what your doing.

Darren, West Springfield, Mass (Sent Thursday, September 04, 2008 1:21 AM)

THANK YOU GENTLMEN-U ARE THEIR SAVIORS- REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO KEEP AND MAKE PEOPLE SAFE-GOD BLESS YOU,EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU!!!

patricia smith (Sent Thursday, September 04, 2008 3:37 AM)

Thank God for cops

Franklyn, Duluth, MN (Sent Thursday, September 04, 2008 6:20 AM)

It is shameful that New Orleans gets all the money and attention in the media.  Other parts of this country experience catastrophic damage and they get nothing.
I guess if you scream discrimination you can get anything you want.

Ben Davidson (Sent Thursday, September 04, 2008 7:34 AM)

To the gentleman who said it must have been a house paid for by TAXPAYERS, he is obviously unfamiliar with New Orleans.  Most people are unless they have lived there.  And to the others who are in a place far-removed from here and who stand afar and critize, come walk a mile (if you could last a mile) in our officer's shoes and explore this state and then go back home and re-think your words before you open your mouth.  A little more support and less speaking from ignorance would be wonderful.

Kathleen H. Dugdale, Farmerville, LOUISIANA (Sent Thursday, September 04, 2008 9:23 AM)

The big difference; this was not Katrina; this time most folks have been forced out and the place is empty; getting around is easy since few areas have been isolated by the storm. Cops are wonderful; cops are dreadful; cops are people.

Tom Carney, Landing NJ (Sent Thursday, September 04, 2008 9:35 AM)

people love to congrats or criticize unfortunatley NOLA learned a hard lesson with Katrina, so if they are doing right now give them the credit, noone in this world is perfect, and noone in the u.s. has had to deal with something as bad as Katrina weatherwise, so let them do their job..glad to hear all is getting better..now pray for the rest of country with all of these hurricanes coming...

tanya s, detroit, mi (Sent Thursday, September 04, 2008 10:50 AM)

I don't understand what all the fuss is over New Orleans and Hurricane Gustav.  They received very little of Gustav compared to Baton Rouge and the rest of Louisiana.  There are other cities/communities in Louisiana besides N.O.  Baton Rouge had extensive damage to personal and business properties.  It could take several weeks for power to be restored to all homes and businesses.  However, Baton Rouge is resiliant and the majority of the citizens are helping each other, cleaning up the mess themselves and following the law.

W Magee (Sent Thursday, September 04, 2008 7:10 PM)

THERE WAS NEVER ANY REAL DESIRE TO PROTECT PEOPLE AND THOSE WHO DON'T LEAVE. THE INTENT WAS ALWAYS TO PROTECT PROPERTY...WHO YALL THINK YOU FOOLING? SOMEONE MENTIONED THE AMOUNT OF LAWLESSNESS AND SO FORTH AFTER KATRINA. WHAT YOU SAW WAS FOLKS DOING WHAT EVER THEY WANTED TO SURVIVE AND EVERYONE..."READ THAT WHITE PEOPLE TOO"..ACTS DESPERATE IN DESPERATE TIMES AND CONDITIONS. THE TRUE STORIES OF WHAT WENT ON IN LOUISIANA HAVE NOT ALL BEEN TOLD YET.

BUSY GUY (Sent Saturday, September 13, 2008 1:05 PM)



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