(The Center Square) — Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith gave an update on several police projects during the Public Safety Committee meeting.
The Shreveport Police Department has a few projects in the works, including a new substation, firing range, and new vehicles out for service.
A potential location was chosen for a new Southeast Shreveport substation at Cedar Grove Park off St. Vincent. The park is city-owned and was minimally used.
“We were really excited about this location because it is a park, and we’re able to build our facility there, readjust what’s already there — all the playground equipment, the basketball court, the baseball field,” Smith said. “Everything will remain in place. And in addition, as a caveat to that, there is room for a small football field. We interact with the community, with kids throughout the year, and often, one of our challenges is finding a suitable location to do it. Now we have all that in place with this location.”
Other updates included new police vehicles in service in the city. The department ordered 58 new vehicles last year and 54 of those are currently out in service. There are four still being worked on and outfitted for service.
According to Smith, the new firing range is 99% complete, and a test run was conducted on Monday. The facility is awaiting a bulletproof piece of glass to go on the control booth. The previous firing range was outdated and needed major updates. Smith said the new firing range cost $2.1 million to this point.
The $2.1 million came from the 2021 bond package, which is the same bond package being used to build substations.
Cruising is still a hot topic between the council and department, and new policies are being put in place to address the situation.
Shreveport Police Captain Colette Kelly shared that the department has a unified standard operating procedure in place now to address cruising. They’ve changed the days and hours for downtown units so they are available during peak cruising times, and they’ve also entered into an agreement with Caddo Parish Sheriff Henry L. Whitehorn with assistance in patrolling areas.
“We are trying to be proactive instead of reactive,” said Kelly.
Popular areas for cruising are Ford Park and Airport Park, so a plan is put in place so the department knows when cruising is happening and can dispatch officers accordingly.
“We have seen a significant decrease,” said Councilwoman Tabitha Taylor concerning drag racing on the streets of the city.
