Twenty (20) days ago—Oct.1—Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Executive Director Cedric Glover held a well-publicized press conference promising the implementation for 90 days of a private downtown security patrol to curb downtown violence.
No contract has yet to be signed. There is no indication that it will ever be consummated.
If or when it is ever signed there is no guaranteed funding for the patrols to continue after three months.
This past weekend hundreds of people gathered on Friday and Saturday night in unpermitted gatherings in the Red River Entertainment District—under the bridge—for events that featured open consumption of alcohol and illegal drug activity.
To make matters worse a young lady was savagely attacked and beaten in that area on Saturday night. (See SPD press release below.)
The DDA is funded by an additional tax on downtown building owners, and the tax is on the upcoming Nov. 3 ballot for renewal.
Glover’s big unfulfilled announcement was obviously planned to ramp up support for the tax renewal. The failure to have the contract for the security force lined up when he made his big announcement is indicative of Glover’s performance as the Executive Director since his appointment two years ago.
During Glover’s tenure, downtown Shreveport lost businesses, lost downtown workers, lost downtown tenants and continued to have highly publicized incidents of violent crime.
In addition, the much-ballyhooed downtown property standards code has not been enforced and all the promises of Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson to remake the downtown area into a booming entertainment area have not materialized.
Glover’s salary is more than $110,000 with generous employee benefits.
How can Shreveport voters logically expect anything more than hollow promises from Glover if the DDA tax is renewed and any meaningful activity by this agency in the coming years is the question to be decided.
Glover and DDA have failed to deliver for the last two years plus and most recently on a downtown security patrol. It’s time for this folly to end.
SHREVEPORT POLICE SEEK TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUALS FOLLOWING DOWNTOWN ASSAULT
The Shreveport Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying several individuals involved in a violent altercation that occurred during the early morning hours over the weekend beneath the bridge in downtown Shreveport, inside the Red River District.
During the incident, a female victim was reportedly beaten and repeatedly stomped while lying on the ground. Individuals believed to be associated with the Satudarah Motorcycle Club are suspected of involvement in the altercation.
Let us be clear: This type of violence will not be tolerated in our city. Downtown Shreveport should be a place where residents and visitors can enjoy themselves without fear of being violently attacked.
To those responsible, we strongly suggest you turn yourselves in. Because if you don’t come to us, we will be coming to find you.
We are asking anyone who recognizes these individuals or has information regarding this incident to contact the Shreveport Police Department or Caddo Crime Stoppers at 318-673-7373.
Violence like this has no place in Shreveport. We intend to identify those responsible and hold them accountable.
