Professor William Snowden Discusses Homeless Sweep Ahead of Taylor Swift Concert

By Loyola University on Thu, 10/31/2024 - 12:30 College of Law

Homeless sweep ahead of Taylor Swift concert reveals conflict between city

Will Snowden, a professor at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, made a public records request earlier this year and was also unable to locate any formal agreements between the city and the State Police regarding Troop NOLA. Other agreements between the city and Louisiana State Police exist, but they mostly concern smaller arrangements around interstate patrols, he said.

“What is concerning is when we have a policing entity like Troop NOLA that does not have the more direct kind of democratic accountability mechanisms that we have with local government actors,” Snowden said. “There’s a concern there that the behavior and the tactics of Troop NOLA are not consistent with the expectations of New Orleans residents.”