The State of Louisiana, under the administration of Gov. John Bel Edwards, operates a Juvenile Criminal Detention Facility in Bridge City, La on the West Bank of Jefferson Parish.  

This is NOT a school.  It is a correctional facility for juvenile criminals including those convicted of violent offenses.  

Over the past several months the State has shown a complete inability to secure this facility or operate it safely.  Escapes are routine. The local neighborhood is terrified. Recently the facility was completely taken over by its inmates resulting in employees being beaten and tortured.  This was only resolved when Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office responded with a SWAT roll. 

Most recently after allowing 6 inmates to escape, 1 went on a multi-parish crime spree that resulting in the shooting and carjacking of an elderly man who at the time was stopped to make a donation to a charity that supports our disabled and developmentally challenged.  Imagine, you go out to make a donation to a worthy cause and are shot in the chest and robbed for it.  Meanwhile that individual continued on a crime spree across the city, culminating with a high speed police chase and crash.  

The failure and inability of the State of Louisiana to properly operate, secure, and safeguard this facility has resulted in a public safety crisis across Jefferson and Orleans Parishes and the Greater New Orleans Area.  

How can we feel safe in our homes, schools, cars when not only do we face our routine “crime issues” but we are having them exacerbated by a state agency that is so inept it cannot do its basic job?  The actions of the state places in jeopardy the safety of every individual in the Greater New Orleans Area.  

Numerous local political bodies including the Jefferson Parish Council have asked and demanded the facility be closed. Gov Edwards has responded by saying “that cannot be done.”  The State’s dereliction of basic duty to taxpayers puts the life of every man, woman and child at risk in this instance. 

We petition Gov Edwards to IMMEDIATELY either secure (by addition of a sufficient number properly trained correctional officers) or CLOSE the Bridge City Youth Detention Facility.