New Orleans attack: ‘Politics and bickering’ hindered French Quarter security, consulting firm found in 2019 report

CNN — A consulting firm in 2019 found security in New Orleans’ French Quarter was hampered by politicking among various law enforcement agencies, private security outfits and stakeholders, according to a report obtained by CNN, painting a portrait of a city whose dysfunction inhibited its ability to protect the storied neighborhood. Interfor International’s report – commissioned by the French Quarter Management District, or FQMD – identified “internecine politics and bickering” as “a significant hindrance to the good efforts by stakeholders” to address security in the district. The report was commissioned, it says, to review and evaluate the district’s security, their effectiveness and make recommendations to “achieve the desired level of security.” In a statement to CNN on Saturday about the public version of the report, FQMD said: “The strength of our ongoing partnership with the City and allows open communications of resident and business concerns and the results of any studies or reports completed.” FQMD sought a third-party review “because numerous law enforcement entities were working autonomously in the neighborhood,” FQMD Board Chairman Christian Pendleton said in an August 2020 news release issued with the public version of Interfor’s report. While much attention has been paid to Interfor’s recommendations to guard against vehicle rammings like the one that played out last week, its “foremost security-focused systemic recommendation is that significant steps be taken to consolidate the disparate security and policing resources in the French Quarter.” As CNN has previously reported, Interfor determined the risk of terrorism in the French Quarter – specifically mass shootings and vehicular attacks – remained “highly possible while moderately probable.” “Considering that the most high-profile target in New Orleans - Bourbon Street - is an open air thoroughfare with little to no access control reinforces the rationale for these two methods,” the report says. On Sunday, Cantrell announced a plan to ask a tactical expert to review the city’s security plans “to determine whether or not these bollards are sufficient.” “This is a work in progress,” Cantrell said, “and we’re committed to doing everything necessary to ensure public safety measures.” According to Interfor’s 2019 report, the firm only ever saw movable NOPD barriers deployed at intersections along Bourbon Street.