National Guard called in to patrol violent New Orleans

IN a scene reminiscent of the darkest days following Hurricane Katrina, a convoy of 100 armed National Guard military police troops rolled into New Orleans yesterday to patrol the streets following a surge in violent crime.

Patrols by about 100 guard members in the city’s hurricane-devastated and largely deserted neighbourhoods will free as many as 300 police officers to concentrate on crime in more heavily populated areas, officials said.

“We’re just trying to give a hand to the city of New Orleans,” said Lieutenant Melvin Edwards, 32, a civilian juvenile probation officer in Baton Rouge.