NCJ Number
213246
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 73 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2006 Pages: 54-56,58,60-62,64
Date Published
February 2006
Length
8 pages
Annotation
After describing the Lake Charles Police Department's (southwest Louisiana) planning, preparation, and operations before, during, and after hurricane Rita (September 24-31, 2005), this article outlines the lessons learned.
Abstract
Coming less than a month after hurricane Katrina, the Lake Charles Police Department (LCPD) and city officials had learned some lessons from what happened in New Orleans; for example, transportation arrangements for the evacuation of people were made well in advance of the storm hitting land. This was particularly important since Lake Charles was housing many of the evacuees from New Orleans after Katrina; most were without vehicles. A curfew was enacted during and after the storm, so police were authorized to stop and detain violators who might be potential looters of the businesses and homes of evacuees. This article describes in detail preparation for the storm, the establishment and operation of a unified command, patrol operations, night operations, outside agency support, attending to officers' needs, and meeting the basic needs of citizens. The latter involved food, shelter, child care, recreation, self-sufficiency, medical care, mental health, and personal safety. Some lessons learned pertain to the importance of detailed planning for the worst possible scenario, strengthening interaction and planning with other agencies in the region, ensuring that any barriers to interagency communications are removed prior to the storm, and planning in detail for both evacuations and meeting the needs of those who remain in town during and after the storm.