New Orleans has created an Uber-like police force for the French Quarter


New Orleans lost about 500 police officers after Hurricane Katrina, and it is having trouble recruiting enough new officers to take their place. Four months ago, to fill that gap, a new private police force, staffed by off-duty New Orleans cops, started patrolling the streets of the French Quarter. The French Quarter Task Force relies on citizens reporting crimes or potential trouble by tapping on their smartphones, using an app that, like Uber, alerts the nearest officer, who responds in a specially modified 4-wheeler.
The French Quarter Task Force receives funding from the tourism board, but also accepts donations; it was started by local sanitation magnate Sidney Torres, who put $380,000 of his own money into the endeavor. Residents tell The Associated Press that the private police force has made a big dent in a recent crime spree in the French Quarter. You can read more about the task force, and Torres, at The New York Times Magazine, and see the force in action in the AP video below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
House GOP starts Mayorkas impeachment clockSpeed Read House Republicans demand an impeachment trial for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bankman-Fried gets 25 years for fraudSpeed Read Former "crypto king" Sam Bankman-Fried will report to federal prison
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'His story should be here'Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detenteSpeed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Visa and Mastercard agree to lower swipe feesSpeed Read The companies will cap the fees they charge businesses when customers use their credit cards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Reddit IPO values social media site at $6.4 billionSpeed Read The company makes its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Housing costs: the root of US economic malaise?speed read Many voters are troubled by the housing affordability crisis
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds cap credit card late fees at $8speed read The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to save households an estimated $10 billion a year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Immigration helped the US economy outpace peersspeed read The U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.2% last quarter
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
4-day workweek gets boost from UK studySpeed Read Following a six-month trial, the majority of participating British companies are still using the truncated schedule
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sues to block Kroger-Albertsons mergerSpeed Read The Federal Trade Commission sued to block the $24.6 billion merger between the grocery giants
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published