Police departments across the country have reported an astounding drop in the number of arrests over the past 10 years.  

Tracking arrest information from the four largest cities in Louisiana provided varied results in terms of transparency. New Orleans, Lafayette and Baton Rouge provided data on the number of arrests online. Shreveport was the only city that did not post recent arrest data online. That city’s data on arrests is updated through 2021.

New Orleans police have seen arrests drop from 39,097 in 2010 to 6,407 in 2023. That’s according to its online dashboard that provides annual arrests data broken down by the arresting agency, the charges and the arrested person’s race and gender. The city’s 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (the most recent released) shows Driving While Intoxicated arrests have dropped from 1,392 in 2013 to 169 in 2022.

Lafayette police arrests have dropped from 14,460 in 2013 to 9,135 in 2023. However, arrests in 2023 were up from 5,063 in 2022. That data came from the city’s 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report.

The city of Baton Rouge posts its arrest data for the past few years on its “Crime Trends Analysis” website. It also posts arrest data in its 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the most recent year released. That shows arrests have dropped from 16,458 in 2013 to 8,659 in 2022.

The city of Shreveport does provide annual crime reports online as far back as 2016, with 2021 the most recent.

For the city of Shreveport, arrests went from 11,473 in 2016 to 5,770 in 2021.

Shreveport also didn’t submit data to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Date Explorer, which tracks arrests by incident for many cities. The FBI compiles the data from information provided by participating municipalities.

Shreveport Police didn’t respond to questions asked about reporting arrest data to the FBI. They did respond to a request for the arrest information by filing a Freedom of Information Act request for that data on behalf of The Center Square.

The Center Square reviewed spending and employment in the police departments from 2019 – a year before the pandemic and the defund the police movement started with the murder of George Floyd – to 2024.

In New Orleans, total spending on police has dropped from $192 million in 2019 to a projected $186.2 million in 2024. The city had 1,468 budgeted positions in the police department in 2019 and that dropped to 1,277 in 2022.

The New Orleans Police department reported that violent crime in 2024 as of March 4 was down 34% as compared to 2023.

The city of Baton Rouge budgeted 882 positions in the police department in 2019 and that increased to 889 positions in 2024. Funding increased from $93.5 million in 2019 to $107 million in 2024.

The city of Baton Rouge provides a crime dashboard with weekly updates. It reported actual homicides were up 71% as of May 6 as compared to the previous year and assaults and batteries were up 19% and theft had increased 10%.

The city of Lafayette decreased the number of “police personnel and officers” from 334 in 2019 to 318 in 2024. However, total positions in the police department have increased from 349 in 2019 to 364 in 2024, including administrative and clerk positions. Total funding for police has gone from $34.76 million in 2019 to $48.02 million in 2024.

The Lafayette Parish crime data is updated only to 2020.

In Shreveport, spending on police increased from $59.96 million in 2019 to $71.8 million in 2024. The city increased the number of positions in the police department from 715 in 2019 to 770 positions in 2024.

The city of Shreveport’s crime data was updated to November 2023. It stated that homicides had increased from 48 to 77 from 2022 to 2023, a 60% increase, while rape (-12%), robberies (-6%) and aggravated assaults (-5%) had dropped over that same time period.

The 2025 Dealer Conference hosted by the Louisiana Life Safety & Security Association (LLSSA) is always a significant event in the life safety and security industry. It was held May 22-23, 2025, at the Natchitoches Events Center. This conference marks the 11th annual gathering of industry professionals, innovators, and policymakers.

Attendees participated in a comprehensive program featuring sessions that offered Continuing Education Units (CEUs) toward LSPP license renewals. The event covered both business and technical tracks, ensuring that participants gained valuable insights into the latest trends and technologies in the industry. The conference also included a state meeting with updates from the State Fire Marshal’s Office, the False Alarm Reduction Association, and discussions on legislation impacting the industry​​.

A notable addition this year was the event application, designed to enhance the attendee experience by providing access to the event schedule, speaker information, vendor details, and real-time notifications. This app also facilitated networking opportunities, allowing participants to connect and collaborate more effectively​.

The conference featured a vendor tradeshow with 27 exhibitors showcasing cutting-edge products and services, ranging from surveillance systems to AI-driven threat detection algorithms and emergency communication systems. This platform provides an excellent opportunity for industry stakeholders to explore new technologies and form strategic partnerships​.

Highlights of the event include keynote speeches from industry leaders, such as Kenneth Kirschenbaum from Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum and Jim Wooster, President of Alarm Financial Services, among others. Additionally, the welcome reception on the first evening promised a chance for attendees to socialize and engage in friendly competition.

Overall, the 2025 LLSSA Dealer Conference was a transformative event, fostering collaboration and innovation in the life safety and security sector. For more details you can visit the LLSSA’s official website.

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The Department has issued regulations addressing how to analyze whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor under the FLSA (29 CFR part 795, effective March 11, 2024). Employees receive the protections of the FLSA. Independent contractors are in business for themselves and therefore are not covered by the FLSA.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and other federal agencies, as well as many state governments, use specific criteria to distinguish between employees and independent contractors. These criteria help ensure that workers receive appropriate protections and benefits based on their classification. While there isn’t a single set of rules universally applied, the guidelines generally revolve around the degree of control an employer exercises over a worker. Here are some common factors considered:

Behavioral Control: This refers to the degree to which the employer controls how the work is performed. Factors include instructions given to the worker, training provided, and evaluation methods used. Employees typically receive detailed instructions on when, where, and how to work, while independent contractors have more autonomy in completing tasks.

Financial Control: This aspect examines the extent to which the worker has financial independence and investment in the tools and equipment necessary to perform the job. Independent contractors often invest in their own tools and bear the costs of running their business, while employees typically rely on the employer’s resources.

Type of Relationship: This factor looks at the nature of the relationship between the worker and the employer. Key considerations include written contracts, benefits provided, and the permanency of the relationship. Employees often have long-term relationships with their employers and receive benefits such as health insurance and paid leave, whereas independent contractors typically work on a project basis and are responsible for their own benefits.

Integration: This refers to how integral the worker’s services are to the employer’s business. If the worker’s services are essential to the regular operations of the business, they are more likely to be classified as an employee. Independent contractors usually provide services that are separate from the core activities of the employer.

It’s important to note that no single factor is determinative, and the classification depends on the overall relationship between the worker and the employer. Additionally, the criteria may vary depending on the specific laws and regulations of each jurisdiction. Misclassification of workers can lead to legal liabilities for employers, including penalties for unpaid taxes and benefits. Therefore, it’s essential for employers to carefully evaluate the nature of their relationships with workers to ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

Employment-at-will is a legal doctrine in the United States that allows employers to terminate employees for any reason, at any time, as long as the reason is not prohibited by law. This means that employers have broad discretion to hire and fire employees, and employees likewise have the freedom to resign from their positions without facing legal consequences. However, this doctrine is not absolute, and there are limits to it, particularly when it comes to wrongful termination allegations.

Wrongful termination allegations typically arise when an employee believes they were fired in violation of laws or agreements that protect them from unjust dismissal. Here are some common scenarios where wrongful termination allegations may occur within the context of employment-at-will:

• Discrimination: Employers cannot terminate employees based on protected characteristics such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information. Wrongful termination claims may arise if an employee believes they were fired because of one of these protected characteristics, in violation of federal or state anti-discrimination laws.
• Retaliation: Employees are protected from retaliation for engaging in certain legally protected activities, such as reporting discrimination or harassment, whistleblowing, or exercising their rights under labor laws. If an employee is terminated in retaliation for engaging in these activities, they may have grounds for a wrongful termination claim under various federal and state laws.
• Violation of Public Policy: Wrongful termination claims can also arise when an employee is fired for reasons that violate public policy. For example, if an employee is terminated for refusing to engage in illegal activities, reporting illegal conduct, or exercising legal rights such as taking family or medical leave, the termination may be considered unlawful under the public policy exception to employment-at-will.
• Implied Contracts: While employment-at-will is the default rule in most states, courts may recognize implied contracts that modify the at-will relationship. Implied contracts can arise from employer policies, employee handbooks, oral assurances of job security, or past practices. If an employer breaches an implied contract by firing an employee in violation of its terms, the employee may have a wrongful termination claim.
• Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing: Some states recognize an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing in employment relationships. This implies that employers must act in good faith when terminating employees, and they cannot terminate employees arbitrarily or in bad faith. Wrongful termination claims based on the breach of this covenant focus on the fairness and good faith of the employer’s actions. 
• Statutory Protections and Whistleblower Laws: Employees who report violations of law or public policy by their employers may be protected by whistleblower laws. Wrongful termination claims may arise if an employee is fired for whistleblowing, as such terminations are often prohibited by law.

While employment-at-will provides employers with broad discretion to terminate employees, wrongful termination allegations can arise when terminations violate laws, public policy, implied contracts, or the covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Employers must be aware of these limits and ensure that terminations comply with applicable legal standards to avoid potential legal consequences.

Why Associations Use Lobbyists: Advocacy in Action 

In the modern world of business and industry, trade associations play a vital role in representing their members’ interests. For sectors like the life safety and property protection industry, which includes companies specializing in security systems, fire alarms, and monitoring services, navigating the complex landscape of public policy and regulation is crucial. This is where the role of a lobbyist becomes invaluable. But why do alarm associations opt to use lobbyists?

At its core, a lobbyist acts as a representative and advocate for the interests of the alarm association and its members. Lobbyists are trained professionals skilled in communicating with policymakers, legislators, and regulators. They ensure that the concerns, needs, and viewpoints of the life safety and property protection industry are effectively presented and considered in the policymaking process. 

One of the primary objectives of hiring a lobbyist is to influence the development, modification, or defeat of policies, laws, and regulations that impact the life safety and property protection industry. Lobbyists leverage their expertise, industry knowledge, and relationships with decision-makers to shape favorable policies and regulations. 

Lobbyists often have established relationships with key legislators, government officials, and regulatory authorities. This access allows them to communicate directly with decision-makers, providing a platform for the alarm association’s concerns and priorities. Such direct communication can significantly enhance the association’s ability to influence and shape public policy. 

Keeping abreast of legislative and regulatory developments is crucial for any industry association. Lobbyists play a pivotal role in monitoring proposed legislation, regulatory changes, and policy initiatives that could impact the life safety and property protection industry. They gather relevant information, analyze its implications, and provide timely updates to the association, enabling them to stay informed and proactive. 

Collaboration can amplify advocacy efforts. Lobbyists can help alarm associations build coalitions with other industry stakeholders, interest groups, and organizations. By forming strategic partnerships, the association can strengthen its advocacy efforts, broaden its influence, and create a united front on key issues affecting the life safety and property protection industry. 

The use of lobbyists by associations is a strategic approach to advocacy that offers numerous benefits. From effective representation and influence on policy to access to decision-makers and information gathering, lobbyists play a crucial role in advancing the interests of the life safety and property protection industry. By harnessing the expertise, networks, and advocacy skills of lobbyists, alarm associations can navigate the complexities of the political landscape, shape favorable policies, and ensure the continued growth and success of their members.