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Police vehicle shortage halts patrol progress in New Orleans

Officers are turning to older units due to the scarcity of cars, finding parts in their own junkyards to keep some of the squads running

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Photo/YouTube via WWLTV

By Ashley Silver
Police1

NEW ORLEANS — A police vehicle shortage is putting a damper on an increase in patrols in New Orleans, making the 75 police officers recently reassigned purposeless.

According to WWLTV News, New Orleans Police Chief Shaun Ferguson said that supply chain issues are prohibiting the NOPD from buying new police cruisers and servicing their older ones. The shortage is forcing multiple officers to ride in one vehicle, lessening patrol coverage in some areas.

“This is one of those nationwide issues with supply and demand and what is out there, what can we get our hands on,” Ferguson told WWLTV.

The City of New Orleans Chief Administrative Officer Gilbert Montano told the news platform that “getting radios, decals, cages and all the equipment police rely on in their vehicles is also harder than ever.”

Now, the NOPD is turning to older cars, finding parts in their own junkyards to keep some of the units running.

“That is when you know you’re at your lowest threshold of fixing vehicles,” Montano told the news platform. “When you’re junkyarding and cannibalizing other cars just to be able to keep police cars on the road.”

The NOPD does expect to have 75 new police cars on the road by the end of the year.

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