The Lens

By Kelsey Foster, The Lens contributing writer

A day after a good Samaritan was shot and killed while trying to stop a carjacking in Algiers Point, a beefed-up police presence was evident in the usually quiet West Bank neighborhood, as police cars trolled the streets and a helicopter circled above.

But the efforts of the New Orleans Police Department weren’t enough to calm the nerves of Algiers residents who met at the International School of Louisiana tonight to discuss what can be done to remedy a perceived spike in crime and absence of officers.

City Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer, NOPD Superintendent Ronal Serpas and 4^th District Commander Heather Kouts heard concerns from more than 300 community members, many of whom shared their dissatisfaction with what they say is a meager police presence.

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