Police need facts in our biggest city

Police in Louisiana’s biggest city, New Orleans, reportedly have started getting more personal with people at traffic and pedestrian stops. They ask for information which some people claim is none of their business.

It’s understandable that innocent people may object to being questioned as though they could be a criminal. But if it can help reduce crime, then it is worthwhile. After all, anyone can be guilty

St. Charles Parish has tightened up on crime by alerting the people to be on the lookout for suspicious activity. New Orleans, perhaps, has to go further by having police on patrol to ask more questions to uncover criminal activity more frequently. They cannot tell merely by looking at a person whether they are planning criminal activity or not.

After all, New Orleans is a big city where gangs with criminal intent are more frequent. And they can easily find prey among the crowds that fill the streets and neighborhoods. Anyone who is innocent of crime in such locations should not object to being investigated in a respectable way by the police

Maybe it will hurt their feelings once or twice but it’s worth it if it puts them in safer surroundings.

While the public can help too, we have to give police the upper hand in stopping crime even if it requires more severe questioning at times that can reveal information uncovering criminal activity. It can all be part of making Southeast Louisiana a safe environment in which to live.