Copper thieves slowing down lighting repairs on New Orleans’ interstate

Zach Labbé
·1 min read

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — City Council members are calling on the Department of Public Works to create a master plan outlining how they plan to address broken or missing streetlights.

Department leaders say more than 100 of those lights are out because of thieves stripping streetlights of copper wire.

“Do we have to switch out materials so that they don’t contain copper? Do we switch to solar? Do we switch to aluminum? That’s what the department needs to figure out,” said Council Member Helena Moreno.

Preventing the copper thefts is also proving to be a difficult task. Hans Ganthier with the New Orleans Police Department said, “I wish we could patrol everywhere on the interstate, but we just don’t have that capability yet.”

Drivers beware! NOPD ramps up traffic enforcement

The NOPD joins the ranks of departments nationwide struggling with staffing shortages.

“NOPD does not have really the resources to just be patrolling, looking for potential copper thieves. I think that this would be an excellent way that Troop Nola could help the city of New Orleans,” said Moreno.

Besides helping drivers see at night, city officials claim studies show that better lighting can help curb crime.

DPW is working with the District Attorney’s office through its New Orleans Data-Informed Community Engagement, or “NO DICE,” program. This program allows law enforcement to assess areas of the city more at risk of criminal activity and they are using that data to prioritize which lights they will repair first.

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