Levee cops with rifles? Flood authority's plans for new SWAT-style unit raise questions: report

The South Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East (SLFPA-E), which maintains levees and floodwalls across New Orleans, is planning to grow its 50-officer police force by adding a special unit trained in SWAT tactics,

SLFPA-E spokesperson Stacy Gilmore confirmed to the Times-Picayune that the agency was launching the new unit. Board President Peter Vicari initially denied knowledge of the Special Response Team and SWAT training, but later acknowledged the unit exists and said it would focus on deescalation and crisis intervention.

According to the report, the change was needed to professionalize the police force and expand its purview. The agency tapped into cash reserves to boost the police budget from $8 million to nearly $12 million this year.

The new unit will handle high-risk sit