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Regular Session, 2010 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 176
BY SENATOR HEITMEIER
A RESOLUTION
To urge and request the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) to
convene a work group comprised of representatives of the office of state police of
the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, the Gretna Police Department, the
Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, the New Orleans Police Department, the
Plaquemines Parish Sheriff's Office, and the Westwego Police Department to review
and analyze the policies, procedures and practices of the DOTD's Crescent City
Connection Division police department to determine whether the Crescent City
Connection Division police department is providing services in the most effective
and cost efficient manner and to report its findings and recommendations to the
Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works by February 1,
2011.
WHEREAS, the Crescent City Connection is the economic and transportation life-
line connecting the east and west banks of New Orleans and Jefferson Parish; and
WHEREAS, approximately one hundred seventy thousand vehicles cross the two
spans of the Crescent City Connection on the average day; and
WHEREAS, the safety of all persons using these bridges is paramount; and
WHEREAS, the Crescent City Connection Division of DOTD employs a twenty-
eight member police department assigned to patrol and respond to emergencies on the
Crescent City Connection bridges and the roadways leading to the bridges; and
WHEREAS, it is logical that law enforcement professionals in the immediate
geographic area who routinely interact and interface with the DOTD's Crescent City
Connection Division police department are in the best position to evaluate and provide
constructive insight on the division's current operations. SR NO. 176 ENROLLED
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THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation and
Development is hereby urged and requested to convene a work group comprised of
representatives of the office of state police of the Department of Public Safety and
Corrections, the Gretna Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, the New
Orleans Police Department, the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff's Office, and the Westwego
Police Department to review and analyze the policies, procedures and practices of the
DOTD's Crescent City Connection Division police department to determine whether the
Crescent City Connection Division police department is providing services in the most
effective and cost efficient manner and to report its findings and recommendations to the
Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works by February 1, 2011.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Crescent City Connection Division Working
Group is hereby created and shall be composed of the following members which shall be
appointed no later than July 15, 2010:
(1)The secretary of the DOTD or his designee.
(2)The colonel of the office of state police of the Department of Public Safety
and Corrections or his designee.
(3)The chief of police for the Gretna Police Department or his designee.
(4)The sheriff of Jefferson Parish or his designee.
(5)The chief of police for the New Orleans Police Department or his designee.
(6)The sheriff of Plaquemines Parish or his designee.
(7)The chief of police for the Westwego Police Department or his designee.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DOTD shall convene the initial meeting of the
working group no later than August 1, 2010, and the Crescent City Connection Division
Working Group shall provide for the manner and frequency of meetings that will be
conducted and for all other ancillary administrative matters which must be determined in
order to function as a working group. The work group shall be staffed by DOTD.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Crescent City Connection Division Working
Group shall submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the Senate
Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works no later than February 1, 2011
and such working group shall officially terminate upon submission of the report. SR NO. 176 ENROLLED
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
secretary of the DOTD; the colonel of the office of state police for the Department of Public
Safety and Corrections; the chief of the Gretna Police Department; the sheriff of Jefferson
Parish; the chief of the New Orleans Police Department; the sheriff of Plaquemines Parish;
and the chief of Westwego Police Department.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE